Parallel Universe
by ladyjane6313
Summary: What could have happened if things had been different? Lots of stories that coincide with the torchwood series and filling in of some gaps. Ianto and Jack were never a couple, sort of. Ianto/Owen...later on mild Ianto/Jack
1. Cyber Love

He was thrown across the dark, red hazed room, landing in a heap against the concrete floor holding the overflow water from the water tower. His head hit the concrete with a resounding thud before he blacked out, unconscious.

Eventually Jack found a way to get to Ianto, though that wasn't the original plan. Distracting Lisa so that Tosh could escape was risky for everyone. The volts of electricity she sent flowing through his body were not the most painful of his deaths, but the pain he felt was excruciating just before his vision blurred and he died. The second lot of voltage that Lisa sent through his system, after he baited her, hurt a lot more than the first, as he was weak from healing. But the confrontation with Lisa brought him directly adjacent to Ianto's limp figure.

Though he felt heavily betrayed by his colleague's behaviour he couldn't let him die. Sliding down the concrete to Ianto's side Jack heaved him into his arms out of the water, turning him so that he could see his face. Jack slapped him on the side of the face a couple of times, trying to wake him. Ianto had stopped breathing. His chest was deathly still. Jack cradled him and could see a small amount of straw coloured liquid drip from one of Ianto's eyes – shit, he had a skull fracture.

Jack was thinking hard, trying to figure a way to wake Ianto, so he pressed his lips to the young man's and wished the life back into him. Strangely, after 30 seconds or so Jack felt Ianto struggle in the kiss, trying to breath properly. Jack moved his head to see Ianto open his eyes, and placed his fingers to his lips to command silence from Ianto.

* * *

Later that day when Lisa had been dealt with, Ianto had cleaned himself up and the hub had returned to its former glory, Jack forced Ianto to see Owen about his suspected head injury. Owen ran scans confirming Jack's theory that Ianto had sustained a skull fracture. According to the scans the fracture looked like it had happened several weeks ago, as opposed to several hours. But Ianto hadn't sustained any other injuries in the last few months.

Jack left Owen to watch over Ianto while he went to his office.

Owen had been shocked by Ianto's actions to help his girlfriend, and angry that Ianto had willingly put all their lives in danger, but he felt some sympathy and a kind of bond with Ianto as he had suffered when his fiancé Katie had tragically died from an alien buried deep in her brain. Once Jack disappeared Owen spoke quietly to Ianto.

"I'm sorry you had to see Lisa like that. I'm sorry for what we had to do."

"What would you know about how I feel or what I saw?"

"I lost my fiancé to an alien brain tumour, that's how I met Jack. The alien released a toxin that killed every surgeon and nurse in the room, as well as Katie. It left me in pieces, until I joined up here. Then I had something to work towards, trying to stop aliens doing things like that to other people."

"You weren't told to shot her were you? She wasn't shot by your boss and the people you work with was she? Her blood didn't cover you when she died did it?" said Ianto getting progressively louder with each sentence.

"No, but I blamed Jack. I thought that if it hadn't have been for that man then she might still be alive. If he hadn't turned up then she would have survived her surgery. It was an accident but I blamed Jack!"

"Well, we all know what happened to Lisa it wasn't an accident. It was cold blooded murder."

"She was trying to kill us and convert us into one of the universes deadliest aliens! She stopped being human the minute she was taken by the cybermen. It wasn't your fault she was there."

"She was my girlfriend. I thought Torchwood could help her. And now she's dead. I wish it was me that had died. I have nothing left. What do I do now?" said Ianto in a whispered tone.

"You fit in here Ianto. Jack... he'll forgive you, given time. We all survived, to fight another day you destroyed the trust we had in you. You need to stay here, to continue to work for Torchwood, but you need to earn everyone's trust again. Jack won't fire you, but you'll probably be put on probation for a while."

Ianto nodded accepting that he didn't really have much choice in the matter. There was the option of retcon, but he knew that Jack would never allow him to take any and disappear away from Cardiff, as that would mean he would forget about Lisa. And he didn't want to forget about her completely, just at the end of her life.

"Will you be okay?"

"I'm not sure."

Owen sighed and said, "If you need to talk you can call me whenever. Anytime you need some company just phone me, no matter what time of day it is. Okay?"

Ianto nodded again.

Owen looked at Ianto. He had no idea how Jack had managed to fix Ianto's skull fracture, but he was glad he had. Owen had extended the hand of friendship to Ianto but he still had a forlorn look about him, so Owen pulled him into a one armed hug.

Ianto closed his eyes and let himself be held. It was strange that he felt comfort with the one person that had ridiculed him since he'd started at Torchwood, even if he had tried to be nice about what had happened. Ianto pulled away and stepped down from his seat on the autopsy bench to stand next to Owen.

"Am I alright to leave now?"

"Physically you're fine, but you need to rest. I don't want to see you any earlier than the day after tomorrow. You need to go home. Now!"

"But-"

"No! Ask your Doctor I'm telling you that you need to go home and get some sleep. I'll deal with Jack. Leave through the garage and I'll cover for you. See you in a couple of days." With that Owen turned to sort his medical equipment out on the table behind him.

Ianto turned to leave. As he walked up the steps he looked over his shoulder saying quietly, "Thank you."

Owen wasn't sure what had prompted him to pull Ianto into a hug but he had thought they could both use some comfort at that moment. For over a year Owen had had a dislike for Ianto that he couldn't explain. He had called him names; bitched about him to Susie when she had been around, and typically tried to make Ianto's life very hard. But Ianto had taken that all in his stride. He had retorted with a sarcastic comment here or there, but had tolerated Owen.

Once they had been bound in that physical connection of the hug, it dawned on Owen that the reason for his dislike of Ianto was because of his attraction to Ianto. What a kicker! Thought Owen. The one person that he could never, should never have was the person that he felt a connection with because of a past event involving girlfriends. It was wrong to want to hold someone who had almost gotten you and your friends killed wasn't it? All Owen could do was hope that Ianto didn't call when he needed a friend to talk to, or some company. Because he didn't know what he would do if he ever ended up alone with Ianto Jones.


	2. Countrycide

He'd done the brave thing, creating a diversion that helped Tosh escape. He was still mentally scarred by the brutal murder of his girlfriend. Being bound by the Hannibal Lectors of the future wasn't the best thing for his psyche, but maybe this was karma for trying to keep Lisa alive and deceiving his colleagues. Ianto had continued to work at Torchwood. Everyone he went to the Hub, cleaned, did some filing of files and artefacts, creating mind blowing coffee for his colleagues, but he never really interacted with them. Just like before, except now everyone knew that Ianto had attempted to do for his girlfriend. When Jack had asked him several months after the incident if he would like to join them on a hunt for aliens in the Brecon Beacons, he didn't think that he had a chance to say no. It seemed that Jack wanted Ianto where he could see him, keep your enemies closer.

He thought the least he could do was one final good deed by helping Tosh escape. Consigning himself to death, he felt every kick and punch reigning down on his body. His mind drifted and the pain almost became a friend when his captors had finished, and placed a woven bag over his head. Blood ran across his vision underneath the bag, and he was back in the dark, damp cellar holding his girlfriend's dead body in his arms. He could recall the smell of the must and blood mixed together. He could feel the warmth of her blood on his hands as it ran free from her body. Tears welled up in his eyes as the replayed that scene in his head. He was about to die any time.

Ianto waited for what felt like hours for something to happen. He could hear voices in the other room, and he waited for the inevitable. Time held no meaning anymore. He heard to door open and fear struck into his heart. Death was painful and he didn't think he was ready for it. He heard a woman's voice as she was shoved into the room his was laying in. Ianto felt someone pull on the hang cuffs holding his arms behind his back, dragging him into a kneeling position. The woven bag was ripped from his head and his face was grabbed, slapped. Ianto opened his eyes and found one of the cannibals staring at him, telling him it was time to die. He suddenly felt that he had no wish to die, he wanted to live. The thought of not being able to feel his heart beating in his chest; or feel the caress of another human being. Fear flashed in his eyes as he realised that one of his only ways of escape were in front of him, captured by the cannibals. The meat cleaver was waved in front of his face, and as it was placed smoothly against his neck the earth started to shudder.

Ianto was thrown to the floor, but grasped from behind by a female body. God it felt good to be held, but Ianto was terrified and gagged so all he could do was moan and cry out in pain. The rev of an engine and the sound of gunfire signalled their freedom, provided by Captain Jack Harkness.

When Gwen released him he realised that death scared him. It might be easier to die than to live, but when faced with death he realised he had a lot to give. He could work hard and earn the trust that was required of him, like Owen had said. He had at least one friend; Owen who wanted to help him and would probably miss him if he wasn't working with him. He wanted to live.

In the SUV Owen sat next to Ianto in the back seat. Gwen had eventually been taken to the hospital, and Owen had thought it best to stick with Ianto. Over the last few months, Ianto had called on Owen a couple of times for a coffee, or a film and pizza. They had talked about various things, sometimes trivial, sometimes meaningful. They had sat close to each other on Ianto's couch, which was very comfortable. On one occasion Ianto and Owen had fallen asleep together on the couch; Ianto's head ended up in Owen's lap. Owen must've woken sometime during the night and weaved his fingers though Ianto's hair, before falling back to sleep. They had become close, but Owen had never spoken to Ianto about how he felt about him, or tried anything. Ianto had always seemed too fragile for Owen to try anything, and Owen didn't know if his friend was bisexual, like himself.

Jack threw a concerned look over his shoulder into the back seat every so often while he drove. As they neared the outskirts of Cardiff Owen spoke.

"That offer to talk is open tonight if you need to..." Owen said quietly.

"I don't think I could talk about what happened today, but I don't think I want to be alone tonight either."

"Do you want to stay at mine then? The couch is comfortable enough, I can vouch for that."

"Yeah, maybe watch a film. Something light and fluffy?"

"Sure. Jack you don't need to head to Ianto's. Just drop us both off at mine, if that's alright?"

Jack was a little shocked by this question. Owen and Ianto weren't friends that he had ever seen, but he couldn't very well say no. Even if Ianto seemed to be in a delicate state.

"You guys having a sleepover? Wouldn't you rather both stay at the Hub?"

Owen was about to speak up, but Ianto beat him to it.

"No thank you sir."

Things were still bad between Ianto and Jack, but Jack had increased his flirting tenfold since the Lisa incident. Ianto had sparked his interest by the stunt he had pulled and Jack had started to focus on getting to know Ianto a little more. Possibly so that he could get Ianto into bed for some revenge sex, but Jack hadn't managed to get anywhere with Ianto.

Ianto thought the safer option was to stay with his friend, in surroundings that he knew.

Jack drove a little more aggressively after their short conversation. He dropped them off outside Owen's flat before speeding off.

Owen unlocked the door with his key and ushered Ianto inside. Owen settled Ianto into the living room before moving into the kitchen to get some snacks. It had been a long day, and neither of them had and much to eat. Owen was pretty sure that it would be hard for Ianto to each a sandwich with any kind of meat in it, so Owen chose cheese as their filling, before making a pot of tea.

Owen loaded the food and drink onto a tray and headed back to the living room. He popped his head around the open door and saw Ianto sitting on the couch, staring at the wall opposite him, his hands resting limply on his thighs. Owen walked into the middle of the room, placing the tray on a nearby table.

He took tentative steps towards his friend, trying not to alarm him from his trance.

"Ianto?" Owen said quietly.

Ianto didn't acknowledge him.

Owen call his name a second time, but placed his hand on Ianto's shoulder. Ianto pulled back onto the sofa away from Owen's hand. His hands grabbed his knees and pulled them to his chest. Owen back away slightly trying to give Ianto some room. Ianto's breathing was coming out in short, sharp bursts and he had the look of a cornered animal.

"Ianto! You're alright. You're safe. No one can get you, and nothing can harm you now."

It took five minutes of gentle, soft spoken words, repeatedly to calm Ianto down. Eventually Owen got Ianto to sit upright on the sofa.

"Do you want to talk about today?" asked Owen

Ianto shook his head.

"Can I sit on the sofa with you?

Ianto nodded.

"I made some sandwiches – cheese, and a pot of tea, probably cold now, and not as good as yours. Do you want anything?"

"No. Thank you," whispered Ianto.

"Want to watch a film? Something light-hearted? I've got pure comedy or romantic comedy. Which would you prefer?"

"A Rom-Com. I'd like not to think for the next few hours."

"That can definitely be arranged."

Owen left the living room to fetch two blankets, a duvet and the DVD. He put the DVD in the player, switching the TV on before unfolding one blanket, placing it over Ianto who had moved to one end of the sofa with his knees still pressed up against his chest and his feet jammed up to his bum, head resting on his knees.

Owen took up the spot next to Ianto, and huddled under his blanket, but he left enough distance between them for Ianto to feel comfortable.

The film was about halfway through when Owen felt movement on the couch, and Ianto's head rested on his shoulder. Before this Ianto hadn't moved once, and both men were concentrating especially hard on the film plot to prevent memories of the day's events seeping in.

Owen thought it best not to acknowledge Ianto's move, but he did try to see Ianto's face from his position. It looked calm, as if today had been any other day. After his outburst it appeared Ianto might have shut himself off behind a blank expression.

Owen gave him half an hour before he moved. Being the friend he was he wanted to offered Ianto some comfort, so he gently placed his right arm around Ianto's shoulders. Ianto immediately tensed, then forced himself to relax, before Owen pulled him more securely into his shoulder. Finishing the film, Owen put on a late night comedy show on BBC 2. Owen felt a hand touch the hand he had over Ianto's shoulder, fingers gently lacing with his own. Owen just looked down at Ianto's face. His eyes were closed, listening intently to the soft sounds of the television.

"You feel up to talking Ianto?"

Ianto shook his head from left to right then verbalised his answer.

"No. I'm just starting to forget."

Having his arm around Ianto, fingers holding palms together, Owen felt a rush of emotion rise up out of nowhere. He felt protection of Ianto, combined with a hint of lust.

Ianto had raised his chin towards Owen's voice, still with his eyes closed. Owen's eyes were drawn to the young man's lips, and without conscious control he lowered his head so their lips met for a brief second.

Ianto sprang back, startled.

"You just-"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...You-I-We...I need to leave."

Owen moved to stand.

"But this is your flat."

"I'm going to leave you and go upstairs. I should never have...especially not after all you've been through today. I-"

Owen started to walk through the still open living room door before Ianto called him back.

"Don't go! Please," there was a pause, "I didn't know you were..."

"Bisexual? Well I know you're not, from your reaction just now. I don't want this stupid mistake to ruin our friendship, Ianto. We'll just forget this ever happened. Move on."

"But it did happen! And you don't know everything about me. I may not be completely bisexual, but I have...dabbled a couple of times. Not that you need to know the details. Anyway I started this if anyone should leave it's me. I'm the guest."

"This is ridiculous. Just get comfy on the sofa and sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Owen sit back down," said Ianto aggressively, completely different to the crying huddled mess from earlier. Owen sat on the very edge of the sofa, and Ianto shuffled closer.

"I didn't know you were into men. Definitely not me! But after what happened today, what I saw and how I felt, I don't want to die. I want to try as many different experiences as possible before I die. Eat new food, go to a faraway place, have sex in unusual places. Try a real kiss from a guy who I consider a friend. For tonight can we try just one of those things and see what happens? I want to wipe today from my brain and replace it with good memories."

"I'm not sure."

"I am," whispered Ianto as he covered the remaining distance separating him from Owen.

He brushed his mouth, once, twice, three times before Owen responded in kind. It started with mouths allowing entrance, tongues touching. Progressing to a duel between two people. When things became above passionate, hands started to grip and grope with hidden longing on Owen's part, exploration on Ianto's. Ianto had never done more than kiss another man, and that was at a University house party drinking game, and never with excitement. Things got heated as Owen drew Ianto towards him before lowering them both onto the sofa cushions lengthways, Ianto underneath him.

Blankets were cast aside and t-shirts rucked up to reveal flesh. Owen released Ianto's mouth to take gulps of oxygen and asked if he, Ianto, was sure he wanted this to continue. Although a little afraid, Ianto wanted this new experience more than he wanted his next breath. He was aroused and seeking an end to their journey of exploration. He wanted to feel an orgasm rush through his system from toes to head, drowning him in sensation after sensation. Ianto growled his agreement and attacked Owen's neck and chest with his mouth.

Their journey continued, layer upon layer of sensation and nerve endings building to a big finale. By the end there were coarse, startled shouts of joy, flushed, sweating skin and two men limp, but satisfied at how this had turned out. Ianto lay on Owen's chest, listening to his heart beat. Owen's arms cradled Ianto and for the first time in a long time Ianto felt safe and cherished.

"Thank you," said Ianto.

"I'd say 'you're welcome' but it was just as much my pleasure as yours."

"Will this be awkward?"

"Depends. Is this going to be a regular thing?"

"I'm not sure, but doesn't mean we have to stop keeping each other company after work."

"Nope."

"Can we keep this to ourselves?"

"Hmm...what's it worth?"

"Owen-"

"I'm kidding. It's our secret. Just no feeling me up when you're doing your coffee rounds okay?"

"Surely you should take your own advice," said Ianto, almost as an aside to himself.

""Oi!" harrumphed Owen, before leaning over to kiss Ianto again.


	3. Forgiveness

"Ianto can I have a word?"

"Sure sir"

Ianto walked a few steps behind Jack as they walked to his office. Once inside Jack shut the door and closed the blinds.

"I realise you've been through a lot in the last few months. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine sir," he replied.

"Are you seeing anyone, professionally? Someone you can talk things through with?"

"Not professionally no. But I have a friend I discuss important issues with."

"A girlfriend?"

"No, sir"

"And are they helping?"

"Yes sir"

"No nightmares? Sleeping properly?"

"Better than I have in months"

"Good. I've been thinking. You're proved yourself to be an important part of our team. I'm proud of you."

Ianto blushed slightly, replying, "thank you".

"Do you think we could be more than colleagues? Friends maybe? Drinks after work, the whole team? My treat."

"I think that would be nice sir"

"And if we're going to be friends you should start calling me Jack, like everyone else."

"Yes sir...I mean Jack. Was there anything else?"

"Not that I can think of, no."

Ianto nodded, and turned to walk out of the office. His hand gripped the handle when Jack said,

"I forgive you Ianto. You loved her and you were trying to save her. I do get that."

Ianto didn't think Jack had forgiven him to get a reaction out of him, so Ianto acknowledged his confession with a nod before exiting the office.


	4. End of Days

Ianto had shot Owen, albeit in the shoulder, but he'd shot him, and the world was still coming to an end. Given the choice between bringing Lisa back and having Owen, Ianto wanted Owen, but Owen was obsessed about getting Diane back, so he'd shot him. He'd apologised later when Jack had stopped Abbadon from devouring the planet.

When Diane had arrived through the rift Ianto had called a halt to their relationship. They'd been together a few months, but Ianto had realised he was in love, so to protect himself from being hurt he'd pushed Owen away, quite harshly. Owen had been devastated. He'd enjoyed every moment they spent together and was going to wait a month or so before telling Ianto he was in love with him. After a massive argument Owen had fled the hub before being called back to deal with the aeroplane flying through the rift.

Owen had used Diane to get over Ianto not that it had worked. Owen had imagined Ianto touching and caressing him instead of Diane. When she had left it had been another arrow through Owen's heart, like losing Ianto a second time. That was when Owen got involved in the undercover mission and had ended up facing a Weevil in a steel fighting cage. Like Ianto had said to him months before he wanted to live, to feel and he could only see one reason to do that – Weevil brawl.

On the day Bilis Manger tricked them into killing Jack and releasing the monster, Abbadon, onto the world Ianto had tried to talk to Owen, about what he hadn't been able to say before Diane. Owen had refused to talk about it. Ianto was upset, though he acknowledged he had created this situation.

Feeling sad and in need of physical contact, Ianto had let Jack kiss him when he had awoken from his death in the morgue. Jack had had a crush on Ianto that he had told him about, so Ianto had allowed Jack an indulgence in public, and revelled in his touch. A touch he had missed from Owen when he had ended everything.

After their kiss Ianto had forgotten about Owen. As he looked over his shoulder he saw Owen avert his eyes and a pained expression sail over his features. Ianto stood aside and watched Owen embrace Jack in a hug of apology and shame at what he had tried to do to Jack.


	5. Ianto Tells The Truth

"I've just spoken to Owen about his behaviour recently. He said he'd had some bad news and was trying to find a way to deal with it. You're his friend, what do you know? Was it Diane?"

Ianto debated whether he should talk to Jack about his private life, but as Owen didn't want to talk, and he didn't want the girls to know, so Jack seemed like the logical person to talk to. Plus they were supposed to be friends now, and friends talked about things like this.

"It had nothing to do with Diane. Well not much anyway. We-Owen and I-have been together, as a couple, for a few months. I ended it because I didn't want to get hurt, which was a stupid thing to do. I didn't give him much choice or an explanation, so he turned to Diane to help him get over it. I have no idea why he'd want to go hand to hand with a Weevil, but this is all my fault!"

Ianto had taken a seat and had his head in his hands, cursing the day he'd split with Owen.

"Firstly, Wow. I didn't see that happening, you and Owen. Were you happy? And secondly you should talk to him. I can hear the love in your voice. If he's acting like this then he is more than a little bit in love with you Ianto. Only you can sort this out."

"I've tried to talk to him, but he doesn't want to."

"Then make him listen. Barricade him in a room, kidnap him. Do whatever it takes, because if this continues he'll be off the team and retconned back to the NHS."

"What if he doesn't listen? Could you really retcon him and dump him?"

"Yes. He's a danger to himself and each one of us. I can't afford to have a reckless medic."

"I'll try."

"Just let what you say come from the heart. And you didn't answer my question. Were you happy with him?"

Ianto looked Jack in the eyes.

"Yes Jack. I was very happy and content with Owen."

"Then tell him you love him you fool!! Prove it to him! Now get out of my office."

"Yes sir."

Ianto waited until later in the day before approaching Owen.

"Can we go for a walk?"

"Doesn't me saying I don't want to talk indicate to you that I don't want to talk?"

"Owen, please?"

Owen huffed, threw down what he was holding in his hands, and stormed up the steps to grab his coat before walking swiftly up the steps to the marina, not waiting for Ianto to follow.

He walked to the railings overlooking the bay, resting his arms on the metal beam, and took in the sea breeze. It was a couple of minutes before Ianto followed him out. Owen refused to turn his head when Ianto stood next to him.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't want to get hurt, like I did with Lisa. I realised something that scared me and I went into self-preservation mode. I-"

"Ianto? Owen? I need you back at the Hub!"

"Gwen! This isn't a very good time at the minute," said Ianto tersely.

"Jack's gone! Vanished, and i need you back. Now!"

"We're on our way," said Owen slowly.

"We're not finished here Owen! There's still things I need to say," Ianto called as Owen walked back towards the Hub.

"You don't have a choice at the minute. We clearly have something more important to deal with."

Ianto didn't get to finish their conversation until two weeks later.

The rift had become sensitive to its opening with Abbadon and as it settled down, it continually spat out Weevils and other creatures, keeping the team busy most of the day and night. When they weren't hunting aliens they were kept busy with reports and cleaning up after aliens. As the most senior member of Torchwood Owen had been put in temporary charge until Jack returned; if Jack returned.

Ianto found Owen alone in Jack's office one afternoon, no report in front of him or phone to his ear. He sat quietly in the chair opposite Owen, until Owen looked at him.

"Do you want to know the reason why I ended it?"

"Not particularly."

"That's a shame, but tough. Even if you have nothing to say, you're going to listen."

"Ianto-"

"Quiet! I ended it because I realised something that could and did change my life. I realised I was in love with you," Owen's eyes opened wide with shock and zeroed onto Ianto's face.

"I was, and still am, in love with you. In deep. Deeper than maybe I ever loved Lisa. It scared me. I don't think I could cope again, losing someone I loved, especially as I wouldn't have a best friend to talk to if I lost you, and our relationship ended badly. Which it did, because of me. Do you know the one thing that I've missed since I ended things with you? Your company. The company of my best friend. I've said all I needed to say, so I'll be going now."

"Wait!" Ianto looked back, "You can't drop a bombshell like that and expect to walk away without discussing it."

"But you didn't want to talk. Remember?"

"Why didn't you tell me this when you realised you loved me, instead of putting both of us through hell?"

"I was a coward."

"I have loved you since we started spending evenings together. But I...I'm not sure that I can go back to the way things used to be. Too much has happened. Me with Diane and other things. I'm raw on the inside."

"Could we go back to being friends? I miss talking to you and spending time with you, the little jokes we had."

Owen just sat contemplating Ianto's suggestion.

"I could use a friend, I guess."

"Jack spoke to me, before he disappeared. About you. He'd been worried about your...state of mind. I had to tell him what happened between us. I'm sorry. He said if we couldn't sort things out, and I couldn't make this right with you, to fix you, then he'd have to retcon you and force you out of Torchwood. He said you were dangerous. A danger to yourself and us if you couldn't control your behaviour."

"Treating me like a child? Great! So he sent you to mind me?"

"No, look after you. Because I told him I loved you."

"You told him before you told me?"

"You wouldn't listen to what I had to say to try and fix what I'd done. I didn't seem to have a choice."

"Does anyone else know?"

"No!"

"We can try going back to being friends. That's all I can give you for now."

"It'll be enough. I'd rather have you in my life as a friend than not have you in my life at all."

Owen looked away from Ianto.

"Can I help you with anything? In the hub or report-wise?"

"We could use an extra person when we go out in the field. What do you know about guns?"

"Just the basics, and my aim isn't bad."

"Alright, we'll go down to the firing range, Rift activity permitting, and do some more advanced training."


	6. Jack's Return

**AU: I've been gone a while with some massive writer's block, but I have got another 2 chapters written of this story. Muses just don't seem to want to come in my direction.**

* * *

Jack had returned. Owen and Ianto had worked well together after their heart to heart, spending lots of time in each other's company. They'd managed to salvage their friendship, but neither one of them seemed willing to risk more again, even knowing that both loved the other.

In the SUV on the way to the office block to search for the 'explosive devices' that Captain John had made them aware of, Jack had questioned Ianto about his progress with Owen, while Ianto tried to find out where Jack had been for the last two months. Although Ianto got no answers, he told Jack about Owen's decision to only be friends; how well it was working out.

In the one of the top offices in the high rise building Jack asked Ianto on a date. Ianto had seen that Jack's personality had changed while he'd been away, from the small time they had spent together. Ianto was flattered, shocked and confused simultaneously with Jack's offer. He didn't know what to say, but came out with 'yes', though he assumed Jack was messing around.

It turned out that Jack hadn't been messing around. He'd taken Ianto out to a lovely restaurant some place away from work and the bay, and they proceeded to return back to the Hub to watch a film Ianto had been dying to see with Brad Pitt as the main star.

They'd parted when the film had ended, and Jack had driven Ianto home, promising to pick him up the following morning.

He pulled up outside Ianto's flat. Ianto had had a couple of beers and a glass of wine with his meal, so he was a little tipsy. Ianto leaned across the gearstick and turned Jack's head in his direction before sealing their lips together. This was nothing like their first kiss; Ianto had initiated it and was revelling in Jack's taste, comparing the subtle differences between Owen and Jack. Jack was intoxicating and tasted like the single malt whiskey he'd had one finger of. Eventually Jack pulled away, kissing both of Ianto's cheeks in turn before settling back in the driving seat, and saying goodnight to Ianto.

Ianto returned the goodbye, and stepped out of the SUV onto the pavement. He breathed in the Cardiff night air before walking to the front door of his flat and, not looking back to see if Jack was watching, opened his door and walked in, shutting it behind him.

Ianto leant against the back of the door, taking in some deep breaths to try and make the hazy alcohol disappear slightly, before looking through his peephole to see the SUV pull away from the kerb.

Ianto barely slept that night. His head filled with conflicting thoughts of Jack and Owen. Around 3am Ianto was tempted to get out of bed to make a list of advantages and disadvantages of each man. But he eventually drifted into a dream. He dreamt of sensations he'd felt with Owen and Jack, their faces loomed over home, hands caressing and sliding over him. Their bodies mingled to form one entity, then separated. Jack's face with Owen's narrow frame, and Owen's face with Jack's well muscled physique. The dream heated and when Ianto was almost at the pinnacle he was awoken by his alarm clock.

Shakily Ianto rose out of bed and headed towards the bathroom for a cold shower. His morning glory was raised to attention, not surprisingly after the dream he could still remember vividly. After showering and grabbing some breakfast Ianto headed to work. On the drive he thought. He had a decision to make. He loved Owen, but had hurt him, badly.

He liked Jack a lot, and Jack liked him, but there was still a slight trust issue and anything that happened between them could create tension between him and Owen, and Owen and Jack.

By the time Ianto arrived in the Hub's car park he felt the start of a dull headache.

Letting himself into the Hub he started the preparations for coffee for the team's first brew of the morning, before seeking some medication from the autopsy room store cupboard to ease his headache.

"Good morning," Ianto jumped at the voice so close to his ear that he dropped the container he was holding on the worktop in front of him, spilling the tablets in the container all over the counter and floor.

Ianto dropped to his knees to retrieve the fallen tablets. Jack happened to notice the flustered young man's attempts to quickly clean up, so lowered himself to the floor just as Ianto raised to collect the tablets from the worktop. This move resulted in Jack's jaw being whacked by the crown of Ianto's head, pushing Jack's teeth together and digging the smooth edged objects into his fleshy tongue. Ianto hit him with such force that Jack's top and bottom teeth touched through his tongue, before Jack could register the pain, and the blood rapidly filling his mouth.

Jack's hands flew to his mouth and he turned on his heel and ran up the stairs to the nearest bathroom. Ianto was still recovering from the shock of Jack's presence behind him when Jack ran away from him. Confused Ianto suddenly felt a pain in his head and put his hand to his crown. Feeling something wet he brought his hand to his eyes and saw red. Shit! Who's blood was that, thought Ianto. Well it must be Jack's 'cos Jack had run off.

Ianto counted to 30, collected the tablets, replacing them into the container, then followed Jack, assuming he'd try to staunch whatever was bleeding. He followed the small trail of blood splattered on the floor.

He found Jack bent over a sink, spitting blood into the white porcelain bowl.

"Geez Jack. I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

Jack shook his head.

"Can I have a look?"

Again, Jack shook his head. Ianto placed a hand on Jack's shoulder and gently rotated him so he was facing him.

"Open up."

Jack's mouth and chin were smeared with drying blood. Ianto mentally winced, but kept his professional face in place. He'd learnt that when dealing with Jack, if he treated him gently he tended to act like a child. Jack refused to open his mouth, so Ianto grabbed his jaw and prised it open.

What he saw wasn't pretty. Apart from fresh blood Ianto managed to see that half of Jack's tongue was hanging off, though it seemed it was trying to reattached itself while he watched.

"You okay?" asked Ianto looking straight into Jack's eyes. Jack shook his head one final time before his eyes rolled back into his head and he plummeted to the floor. Ianto managed to protect his head as he fell. Jack's parlour was ghostly white from blood loss. Ianto cradled Jack's head in the only comfortable place he could think of – his lap.

He waited 30 minutes before Jack woke with a gasp. Ianto restrained Jack's shoulders so he didn't hurt himself further.

"Ianto?"

"Are you okay?"

Jack ran his tongue over his teeth inside his mouth.

"Yeah. Back to normal now. All sorted."

"I'm so sorry."

"Not to worry, these things happen."

"If you'd been normal, you might've died."

Jack felt a little uncomfortable with this conversation. He sat up taking his head out of Ianto's lap.

"I did die, but I'm not normal. It was an accident. Just don't do it again. That really hurts. And I'll keep my creeping up on you to a minimum. I think that was my first death by tongue."

Ianto laughed gently.

"What were you doing with those pills?"

"I had a headache from too much thinking, and I didn't really sleep well."

"Thinking about anything in particular?"

Jack stood and used the skin to wash the blood from his face, also cleaning the sink at the same time.

"Just something I need to make a decision about."

"Can I help at all?"

Ianto laughed at the irony of it.

"Sorry," he said regretfully, "it's a decision I have to come to on my own."

"If you need any help let me know. Could you pass me a towel?"

"There you are sir."

"What time is it?"

"About 7.45. You were out about half an hour. I'm really sorry about that! You took me completely by surprise."

"My own fault. Any chance of a cup of coffee going begging?"

"I was in the middle of that when you came up behind me."

"Let's get back up there then. The others should be here by now."

Ianto spent the rest of the day hidden in the Archives contemplating his decision. About mid-afternoon Ianto surfaced and sought out Owen. They really needed to talk about what their future could possibly hold, especially if Ianto had to make this decision.

"Owen?"

He was elbow deep in alien guts.

"Mmm?" His concentration was clearly elsewhere.

"Do you have plans tonight?"

"What?" he raised his head, "plans? Nothing other than the usual. Torchwood, aliens etc."

"Fancy a film, something to eat and some conversation?"

"Yeah sure, we haven't had much time since Jack got back. Your place or mine?"

"Yours?"

"Sure, but you'll have to forgive the mess."

"I always used to."

Owen laughed, "True".

The rest of the day passed quietly. They left together but drove in separate cars.

Jack hadn't mentioned anything about the previous night, which gave Ianto more time to think.

Owen arrived first and opened up, calling the local pizza place to order their food. Ianto always had the same, Margherita with peppers, while Owen fancied something a little more varied. He tidied the place, swiftly dumping the rubbish in a bin bag.

By the time Ianto arrived the pizza had been delivered.

Ianto had been to the local video shop and rented the latest release.

"What kept you?" called Owen from the kitchen.

"Traffic. Pizza here yet?"

"Yeees, and before you ask I got you boring with peppers; so predictable. You should live a little. Pepperoni or meat feast won't kill you," Ianto pulled his tongue out behind Owen's back.

"I saw that!"

"Eyes in the back of his head," murmured Ianto.

Eventually they settled down to eat and started the film. They sat on the sprawling couch together, Ianto had his feet tucked under his backside while Owen sat with his feet crossed, resting on a low table nearby. One film ran into another, and stuffed with thin crust pizza Ianto started feeling drowsy. All thought of his planned conversation with Owen fled his mind as he felt his eyes close and his breathing deepen.

Warm, firm arms surrounded him and his head was moved to rest against a warm, soft muscular chest. Ianto was lulled by the steady regular heartbeat under his ear.

"I still love you, you know," whispered Owen softly under his breath. Minutes passed and Owen continued to watch the film on screen. He shifted to release the pins and needles in his arms and Ianto stirred.

"What time is it?" groaned Ianto.

"Gone eleven."

Ianto sat up, pulling away from the comfort of Owen's warmth.

"I need to talk to you about something. I meant to do it earlier, but I was sleepy after the food."

"It's okay, fire away."

"When Jack came back from... wherever he'd been he asked how things had gone with you. So I told him. He...well he asked me out on a date which I didn't take him seriously about. We went out last night. And I-I don't know what to do. I spent last night alone and awake contemplating what I should do. I'm still in love with you, but-we're friends. You can't be anything more, you said that. I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have. I like you both, but I don't think I know how to make a decision that everyone'll be happy with.

Ianto took a breath.

"You find it hard to trust me as anything more than a friend, and it could meant that if we ever got back together then Jack could be upset, and start making our lives hell. But if I continue things with Jack then there could be some hard feelings between you and me, and Jack and you. I just need to know where I stand, so that I can try to sort my life out."

"Have you slept with him yet?"

"No! Last night he dropped me off at my front door. I-I kissed him, but it didn't go any further. In fact Jack was the one to pull away."

"You're not going to be able to make a decision that'll benefit everyone."

"What I'm trying, not successfully to ask you is...can we ever be anything more than friends again? Do you think it's possible?"

"Do you?"

"That's not a decision I can make! I know what I'd like to happen, but dreams are just that, dreams." Ianto thought back to the night before and his dream.

"I do still love you. I've missed you more than I've been willing to admit. How do I know you're not going to try and take off and run away from your feelings again? Run away from me?"

"I can't promise you, but i'll try my hardest, and if you let me I'll try to show you everyday what you mean to me. And that I love you."

Owen wavered. He loved Ianto too much, even if he had hurt him with his decision.

"Alright! We take it slowly. Life is too short to deny ourselves love. We live one day at a time right?"

"I love you! And I'm sorry."

"I love you too. I forgive you."

Ianto almost threw himself into Owen's waiting arms. They hugged and Ianto waited for Owen to make the first move, which he did. From now on the ball would always be in Owen's court. Ianto didn't want to cause him pain anymore.


	7. Last Man

**7 -Last Man**

Tosh had been in upheaval. Having to try and protect Tommy, but retain security of the rift and the world. Ianto could see some parallels between Tommy and Jack, though they were small.

Tosh had taken Tommy home for one night of freedom. Owen had gone home early to sort some stuff out with his flat, and had told Ianto to pop over when he'd finished, emergencies permitting. Ianto saw Jack in his office, so he walked up the back steps, trying not to disturb him.

"This time tomorrow he'll be back in 1918," said Jack hearing Ianto's footsteps. He didn't bother to turn his head, just continued to peruse the paperwork in front of him.

"His own time," Ianto replied waiting for Jack to turn. He stood with his hands in his trouser pockets, as if he didn't quite know what to do with them, staring at Jack's back.

"Would you go back to yours? If you could?"

"Why? Would you miss me?" asked Jack expectantly.

"Yep" At this Ianto wanted to see Jack's reaction to his omission, so he walked towards Jack's desk, and planted himself on the edge of the desk, so that Jack would have no choice but to acknowledge his presence.

Jack's eyebrows raised at Ianto's response. He hadn't really expected Ianto to acknowledge he'd miss him.

"I left home a long time ago. I don't know where I really belong. Maybe that doesn't matter anymore."

Ianto could feel Jack's loneliness. It filled the room and Ianto knew more than most that Jack didn't just sleep around for the fun of it, it was also to relieve his loneliness

"I know you get lonely."

"Going home wouldn't fix that," Jack paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts.

"Being here, I've seen things I never dreamt I'd see. Loved people I never would have known if I'd just stayed where I was. And I wouldn't change that for the world."

As he finished his sentence, Jack looked directly into Ianto's eyes, and Ianto felt like he had no choice but to look back.

Ianto was magnetically drawn to the Captain, wanting to ease some of the feelings he'd felt from him, so he lunged in to the Captain's personal space, grabbing his head and pulling him into a charged kiss.

Jack got sucked back into the warmth of another person. The last person to touch him so intimately had been Ianto. He hadn't wanted to find a random stranger to rip up the sheets with, only to leave the following morning without even finding out his bed-fellows name. He didn't have the drive to do that anymore, not since his first date with Ianto.

So Jack clung on for as long as Ianto would allow him. Eventually they both pulled away, breathing raggedly. Ianto stood and took a few steps away from the desk he had perched on, he couldn't look Jack in the face.

"I'm sorry," said Ianto embarrassed, his face was turning a bright shade of crimson.

"You shouldn't be. Although that's twice you've kissed me now, and we haven't gone on the second date yet."

"You should know something," there was a pregnant pause before Ianto continued, "there isn't going to be a second date."

Jack caught Ianto's eyes, a little surprised, Ianto steamed ahead with his explanation.

"Owen and I...I mean we're-"

"You got back together?" said Jack, inwardly sighing.

"I told you I had a decision to make. Well that was it. The night after we spoke I went to see Owen. I confronted him about his feelings, if he still had them, and asked him if he could possibly see us as a couple sometime in the future. He said he'd give us another try, as long as I don't try to run away again, emotionally. I love him Jack. I want to be with him. He makes me happy."

"And I wouldn't?" replied Jack quietly.

"I don't know. There are still issues between us, and Owen's always been there for me. He didn't leave me when I needed a friend."

Jack frowned and tried again to apologise for going away.

"What are you going to tell Owen?" asked Jack. Ianto sent Jack a quizzical expression so he elaborated, "About what just happened?"

A slight fear entered Ianto's eyes as he answered.

"I wanted to ease your pain. You're still my friend, I hope. Even if we have been out on a date. I'm not going to tell Owen, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything either. It's not like it's going to happen again, and Owen's been through enough."

Jack thought for a minute, about the best thing to do.

"I'll keep quiet on my end, but you should tell him. You shouldn't keep secrets. Anyway, while we're on the subject of discussing kisses, what would you rate me out of ten?" asked Jack jovially trying to lighten the mood.

"Be serious Jack."

"I am! I like to know where I can improve in certain areas."

"I'm not going to stroke your ego."

"It'll make me feel better? Remember, you said we're not going on a second date, so I say you owe me this little favour."

Ianto relented when Jack turned his puppy dog eyes in his direction.

"Nine and a half?"

"What!?! No ten?"

"Well it wouldn't do for your head to get too big now would it? Besides, giving you a nine and a half means that you've got something to work towards."

"Well, seeing as you're here, we could practice 'til I get a perfect ten?" asked Jack hopefully.

"Jack!" Ianto shook his head.

"I'm kidding. You should go home. Feed that boyfriend of yours, he's too thin. Probably why I never tried anything on with him. Nothing to hold on to!"

"Jack," laughed Ianto, trying to stifle his laughter behind his hand.

"Go! I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night"

"Night, Ianto."

As Ianto climbed into his car and drove he contemplated the past 15 minutes.

Why was it that Jack had such a hold over him? He loved Owen, but he had never truly loved Jack. What was the saying? You always want what you can't had? Ianto understood that Jack wanted him as more than a friend but surely if you decided you wanted something, you shouldn't want something or someone else too?

Ianto pulled up outside Owen's flat and got his key out ready to enter. Before he could put his key in the lock, the door was pulled away from him and there stood Owen looking all warm and inviting in the hallway light. Before Ianto had time to say hello Owen swooped forward and captured his lips. Ianto responded immediately and made a hasty comparison between his kiss and the one from half an hour ago. This kiss was familiar and yet slightly different to kisses he had shared with Owen in the past.

Owen drew himself away and used his arms to lever himself away from Ianto and back into the hallway.

"Hi," Owen smiled.

"Hello...Can I come in?"

"Of course." Owen jumped back and Ianto stepped inside and shut the door. Silence ensued as Ianto waited for Owen to invite him into the lounge. He raised his eyebrows in query and took a step forward, making his way towards the lounge when Owen raised an arm effectively blocking his route.

"What's going on Owen?"

"Well...I wanted to surprise you."

"You already did. That kiss was- well hot!"

"I thought we deserved a quiet, romantic night in while it's quiet."

"So why can't I go in and sit down?"

"You can, but you need to wear this first," Owen produced a black blindfold from a rear pocket of his jeans. He took Ianto's over-the-chest bag from him, dropping it on the floor near the stairs before he gestured for Ianto to turn 180 degrees to face away from him.

Unsure but trusting Owen, Ianto complied. He felt Owen's hands place and secure the blindfold around his head. He also felt Owen's breath on the back of his neck as his senses heightened from losing one of his five senses temporarily.

He heard Owen walk around to face Ianto before hands descended again to check Ianto could see nothing.

Owen smiled to himself as he turned his lover by the shoulders and gently guided him down the hallway. He angled Ianto to the right in front of the lounge door, lined him up so he would be easily guided through the doorframe, then reached round Ianto to pull the silver door handle down to push the door open.

No words were spoken, but with every step Ianto grew suspicious as Owen's smiled widened.

Three steps and Ianto was in position ready for the grand unveiling.

"I'm going to take the blindfold off in a minute," Owen settled his fingers on the blindfold and whispered, "Hope you like," as he peeled it away from Ianto's eyes.

Ianto slowly opened his eyes to let them become accustomed to the light. The room was darker than he expected. Strung around the walls were multi-coloured rope lights. Owen had put the small dining room table in the middle of the room, which was set for two people.

There was a lit candle whose flame glowed in the dim light, and Ianto could see a single red rose laid across one plate.

He could also see light streaming from the kitchen and smelt delicious aromas wafting through the room.

"Owen! This is lovely. I can't believe you had the time to do all this. This is why you told me not to worry about hurrying back."

"Well Jack helped a little. He called when you left the Hub. He had an idea I was planning something."

'Oh he did, did he?' thought Ianto.

"So why don't you take your jacket off?" said Owen undoing the two buttons at the front and sliding the material down each shoulder and his arms.

"Have a seat," Owen guided Ianto to one of the sofa seats, "and just relax."

"Can I help with anything?"

"Nope, the meal's almost ready and everything else is done. Fancy a drink?"

Ianto thought for a moment and decided he should just enjoy tonight, who knew when there would be another like it?

"Sure, what have you got?"

"Beer, wine, spirits?"

"A glass of red wine would be lovely thank you."

Owen disappeared, only to return with two long stemmed wine glasses full to the brim of red wine. Owen sat on the arm of the sofa next to Ianto. He leant his arm along the back of the sofa cushions and used the other to softly stroke Ianto's hair.

"What made you decide to do this?" asked Ianto.

"I already told you, I-"

"The real reason?"

Owen opened his mouth, then slammed it shut before he gave an honest answer.

"Life's too short. Seeing Toshiko and Tommy together, the way she did her best to ease his thoughts of death tonight. She loves him, you can see it. And love needs to be cherished. We don't know how long we have in this job. We need to start making the most of everyday together. Who knows if it'll be one of us next?"

Ianto reached up and caught Owen's hand, curling it into his own and placing it over his heart.

"You're right," Ianto looked up into Owen's eyes, "I love you so much."

"You too."

"So what else have you got in store? I'm hungry. What's to eat?"

Owen leant in and kissed Ianto's temple.

"Dinner will be served in three minutes, sir."

Owen stood, disentangling himself and moved to the kitchen. Ianto rested his head back against the sofa cushion. He closed his eyes and just drank in the sounds of pots clattering and pans clanging. Life was so short. Torchwood proved that every day. Innocent civilians, troublesome aliens and even confused creatures. Making the most of every minute was the only way to ensure that life was worth it.

Ianto was pulled from his contemplative mood by the silence now emanating from the kitchen. Slowly he opened his eyes and was immediately greeted by a smiling Owen.

"Tired?"

Ianto smiled back as he responded, "No, just thinking. Always easier to do when you close your eyes."

"We can do this another night if you want?"

"When you've gone to so much trouble to set this up? Hell no!" Ianto sat up quickly taking hold of Owen's hand dangling between his thighs.

"Let's eat then."

Owen gestured to the dining table where two plates sat opposite each other, piled and steaming with hot food.

Owen pulled his entwined fingers with Ianto's and moved Ianto to a standing position before leading him to his seat at the table. Before Ianto could pull the chair out, Owen had stepped in and held the chair out for Ianto to sit in.

Throughout the meal Owen and Ianto talked about nothing in particular. They tried not to discuss anything about work, but sometimes it was necessary to stay sane.

They got through the starter and main course before Owen called a halt. He cleared the dishes from the table, insisting Ianto do nothing but relax. He filled the dishwasher up before clearing the table and moving it back into the kitchen. Ianto was intent to watch, fascinated and intrigued by what Owen was going to do next.

As if from nowhere Owen rolled out a shag carpet rug, laying it across the floor in front of the fireplace that was the centrepiece of the living room. Next Owen was transferring food containers from the kitchen to the living room floor.

Ianto toed off his black shiny shoes, and folded his feet under his bum, settling into watch Owen more, but Owen stopped and turned to face Ianto.

"So I was thinking...what could make an evening in with a home cooked meal a night to remember? A rug near a roaring fire, intimate relations with the man you love, and dessert?"

"Sounds delicious."

"So I suggest you get over here and park your delectable self on the floor. Get comfortable and we can get on with dessert."

"Yes sir."

Ianto heaved himself off the sofa, peeling off his socks as Owen reached over and loosened Ianto's tie. He pulled the two ends of the tie with his hands, which in turn pulled Ianto close enough for Owen to plant his lips on the edge of his nose. Having accomplished bringing his mate closer, Owen pulled one end of the tie through the shirt collar surrounding it and threw it carelessly behind Ianto, in the general direction of the sofa. He twisted two buttons at the top of Ianto's shirt and pulled apart the stiff starched material.

"It's a start, but we'll get there eventually," murmured Owen, looking Ianto up and down with a critical eye.

"Don't you seem a little overdressed for the occasion of dessert Dr Harper?"

"Not just at the minute. Take a seat so we can get started."

Ianto smiled to himself as he took cushions and pillows from the sofa, arranging them on the rug. He sat down then lay back on them waiting.

Owen joined him on the floor, lying on his side. He moved the food containers within reaching distance. Owen took the lids off all the containers and showed them to Ianto.

"What do you think I should have first?" quizzed Owen.

"I don't know...erm...how about some of that chocolate sauce with those small chopped nuts?"

"Alrighty," answered Owen, who reached over to unbutton the rest of Ianto's shirt before he separated the shirt ends, pulling the shirt tails out of the trouser waistband. Owen continued to pull the shirt apart, exposing Ianto's chest and stomach.

Ianto was confused, and it showed in his face.

"I thought we were having dessert then intimate relations?"

"Can't we combine the two?" Owen angled his head towards Ianto's belly button so he could look up and over Ianto flat stomach and chest, to his face.

"Ah! Now I see. I've never..."

"Neither have I. If you don't like it we can stop anytime you want."

Ianto nodded in agreement, so Owen reached an arm out for the bowl of slightly warmed chocolate sauce.

"This'll be a bit warm, but I'm told it only adds to the sensation."

"I'll let you n-noooo. Ohhhh! That's-ahhh."

Owen had started to trail the sauce from one shoulder to the other, over Ianto's protruding collarbones. The 'oh's' were connected to the circles of sauce Owen drew around one nipple, then the other.

Owen followed the sauce with a sprinkling of nuts, following the shapes he'd drawn.

"Do you like?"

"Mmm...we'll see?"

"Oh really?" said Owen haughtily before his mouth descended over Ianto's nearest nipple. He used his tongue to lick the cooling chocolate from Ianto's skin. Ianto moaned deep in his throat. Owen set about licking and sucking the skin clean. Ianto's hands were fisted by his sides, trying desperately not to grasp Owen's head to control his movements, and his wicked mouth. Once Owen had accomplished his task on the nipple he stopped moving and lifted his head away.

Looking in his man's direction he saw he had his eyes screwed shut, drinking in the sensation his mouth had been creating.

"How am I doing now?"

"Hmm, really well, but you can't stop. Not yet! I'm still covered in chocolate and nuts."

"Well I could do with a change. How about this?"

Owen pulled out a can of whipped spray cream, quickly shook it them tipped it upside down, covering the sauce in white cream. Ianto shivered and yelped as the cold cream came in contact with his skin. It was a contrast of sensations, hot and cold. Ianto was getting turned on by this unfamiliar foreplay. He was enjoying it immensely, and they had only just started. Owen grabbed a cherry by its stalk and traced it through the whipped cream, gathering sauce and nuts along its way.

Owen popped the cherry into his mouth and sucked. Some cream missed Owen's mouth, ending up on the tip of his nose. Ianto sat up and leant close enough to flick his tongue over the cream. Owen, being distracted by the cherry sucked in a breath at the unexpected contact. Owen had managed to get turned on too, just watching and listening to Ianto's reactions.

Owen wanted more than to be in charge of dessert. He wanted Ianto's participation.

Owen's arm bridged the short gap between them, sliding his hand from Ianto's chin, across his cheek and neck, resting behind his head. One tug and Ianto's head was brought within millimetres of Owen's mouth.

"God, I want you," Owen growled a second before his wicked mouth tumbled down on Ianto's. Owen's tongue pushed its way between Ianto's lips, begging for entrance. Ianto gave as good as he got.

The kisses turned open mouthed. Tongues were bitten, sucked and licked. One almost vibrating against the other. Ianto felt like he desperately needed to get to the finish line of this race. He pushed himself up onto his knees so he could tower over Owen, their lips never lost contact.

Ianto's hands ventured passionately up and down Owen's chest and back. Frustration was felt at not being able to feel skin on skin.

Why had Owen insisted on keeping his shirt on? Ianto thrust his hands down to the waist band of Owen's jeans. Ianto tried to undo the belt, but wasn't having much luck. A brainwave hit him, so, still kissing Owen and having his chest fondled Ianto pressed his height advantage by lowering Owen down onto the rug. That way Ianto could guarantee he'd be able to slide the belt, buttons and zip free. Ianto straddled Owen's prone form which gave him better leverage.

As Ianto ripped the leather free from its binding and threw the buttons open he was able to wrench Owen's t-shirt up and over his pecs, exposing his nipples. Ianto managed to get the shirt as far as Owen's armpits before it got stuck, but he decided that it was enough flesh to be getting on with.

Owen gasped into Ianto's mouth and pulled back.

"If you wanted flesh all you had to do was say so."

"Shut up and kiss me!"

"Or what?"

"Or I won't be eating dessert off your body later."

"When you put it like that...Okay."

Ianto's mouth travelled from Owen's down his throat. Stopping for a rest bite at Owen's beating pulse. Continuing his journey he paid equal attention to each hardened nipple, laving it with his tongue, suckling and nipping, mimicking Owen's movements from earlier.

He ventured down Owen's six-pack that contracted as he pressed soft kisses to each defined muscle.

At Owen's belly button Ianto slid his tongue into the hold, making sure he touched every inch of skin. He pulled back an inch and blew his hot breath over the wet area, causing Owen to groan and shiver from the chilled sensation.

"You've got to stop that," Owen ground out, "you can't take advantage like that."

Owen grabbed Ianto under the arms, hauling him up his body so Ianto was lay plastered against him. The cream and chocolate sauce made a good lubricant for their chests to rub together.

"Now we're on an equal playing field," gasped Owen as he pulled his lover's head down to meet his lips.

They devoured each other, tugging and pulling, slipping and sliding & gripping and grasping. Skin to skin, heart to heart, together they rode the waves of lust and feeling. The food containers were knocked over, scattering their contents over the rug, squashed against flesh and fibre.

Ragged breathing and logs crackling in the lit fireplace were the only noises in the room. Owen bayed for control as he rolled Ianto over, crushing a handful of runaway cherries. Ianto was caught by surprise at the gooey sensation.

"Eww. That's gross."

"What?" Owen rolled to Ianto's side.

"We squashed the cherries, feels disgusting."

"Let me see?"

Obligingly Ianto rolled onto his stomach so Owen could get a better look.

"Ah, I see." Ianto attempted to roll back over, but Owen stopped him with a hand.

"Let me clean you up."

Owen proceeded to hold Ianto by the shoulders as he straddled Ianto's waist with his knees.

He picked each cherry off Ianto's back using only his mouth. He used the cherry to create a small amount of suction. Ianto started to writhe feeling his appendage swell and grow, pressing against his clothing and the carpeted floor.

He tolerated the feeling for as long as he could before making his feelings known.

"Owen? Can we change the positioning slightly? Things are getting a little...uncomfortable."

"Course. I can help with that."

"Hmm."

Owen moved away pulling Ianto into an all fours position on his hands and knees. Without turning him Owen put his arms round Ianto's waist, undoing the belt buckle, zip and buttons. Ianto wiggled his bum as Owen slowly peeled the material down his legs, lifting one knee at a time, finally ridding Ianto of his restrictive clothing. Ianto remained in his position wearing only his underwear now.

"Comfy?"

"...Better. Are you going to carry on cleaning or should I go shower?"

"We're nowhere near finished."

Owen knelt behind Ianto, stripping out of his opened shirt. He continued his cleaning, bending over excessively so his crotch rubbed suggestively every now and then. Owen's slow seduction created slow deep breathing from Ianto. Sensations flooded his body and he didn't know if he would last much longer.

On the verge of explosion Ianto reared up high onto his knees. He turned swiftly. One hand zeroed to the back of Owen's neck while the other hand found Owen's groin. Owen's mouth fell open into an 'O' shape, and his eyes rolled back in his head. Ianto pulled his hand towards him and he met Owen's lips halfway. Ianto's other hand gently, but firmly massaged the ever increasing package held encased in Owen's traditional but unbuttoned jeans.

Ianto tiptoed his fingertips inside the parting made by the unzipped zipper. Owen sucked in a breath at the contact.

"Now Ianto!" Owen urged.

"Nah ah," as Ianto's mouth clamped onto the nearest nipple. His hand wandered further inside the trousers, sliding between the roughness of the jeans and softness of Owen's cotton boxer shorts.

"Ianto-I-now...please!"

Without saying a word or moving from his position Ianto freed Owen with his wandering hand. He left his clothing in place, but ran his hand lightly up and down Owen's engorged flesh. Owen couldn't move for several moments as he adjusted to the sensations swimming through his body, but getting himself under control he thrust his hips into Ianto's hand. He started his pace slowly at first, but he gently gathered speed, backwards and forwards.

Ianto continued his assault on the other parts of Owen's body.

Harsh breathing echoed through the room as Owen's speed picked up a notch. It took mere minutes for Owen to cry out loudly through his release. His body jerked uncontrollably, and as Ianto milked Owen for every last shudder, he wrapped an arm around Owen's waist.

When Ianto was certain Owen had nothing else in him, Ianto guided his partner's body back into a horizontal state.

A while later, as Ianto lay his head over Owen's chest, listening as his heartbeat worked to pump oxygen to his overworked muscles, noting as the sound under his ear slowed and returned to its normal speed.

"How do you manage to do that?"

Ianto smiled. He could hear the wonder, pleasure and satisfaction in Owen's voice. It had been well worth the work. He'd enjoyed using some tricks he had learnt in his youth. It was a bit easier to use them on men, but the results were the same.

"If I told you that then where would the mystery of our relationship come from?"

"Well, when you feel like sharing so I can return the favour let me know."

"No need. You do a good enough job of it on your own."

"Oh, high praise!"

"Ready for round two?"


	8. Meat

**8 - Meat**

The day started out normal enough, but then the rest of the week just got plain weird. A Harwood Haulage lorry had a major accident on one of the dual carriageways on the outskirts of Cardiff.

Torchwood, namely Jack, Gwen and Owen, had gone out on the call from a police officer at the scene about the vehicle containing 'weird meat'.

On scene Owen retrieved a sample and took it back to the Hub for analysis. Just as he was examining and explaining his findings to the group Ianto came across announcing the pizzas had arrived.

"Pizzas arrived. Presumed it would be a late one?"

Owen sighed with relief. He'd had nothing to eat since a hurried breakfast, as Ianto had made them late.

"What did you get me?" asked Owen. His mouth salivated at the thought of hot dough with melted cheese and piping hot tomato sauce and toppings.

"Usual. Meat feast."

The rest of the team laughed, oh the irony. Owen rolled his eyes while Ianto walked away from the group looking confused, knowing he was missing out on a joke.

"Lovely," stated Owen sarcastically, eyeballing the slab of cold meat on his autopsy table.

It took a lot to turn Owen's stomach nowadays. In his early days as a Torchwood recruit he'd thrown up a few times with some of the sights he had seen, but he'd grown used to it, until today.

As the pizzas were brought down and distributed Ianto had had a quiet word with Owen.

"I'm sorry. Tosh just told me what you'd found. If I'd have thought it through I would have asked what you wanted, but you're usually a pretty predictable person."

"Really? And who wears a suit every day even thought it A)isn't required and B) isn't practical for the job we do?"

"Don't get touchy. I'm just saying, when was the last time you did something spontaneous?"

"We don't need to talk about this now. The pizza is fine. At least I can pick off the meat."

"Sorry," Ianto pressed his cold lips to Owen's warm cheek in apology, and went to get a napkin so his suit wouldn't get dirty if he dropped some tomato sauce down himself.

Jack handed out assignments as they prepared to access the warehouse in Merthyr. He'd paired Ianto and Owen together, leaving Tosh at the Hub to coordinate the effort while Gwen and himself would go together.

While on their first official pairing, on a mission as a couple, Ianto had designated himself security tech. While Owen carried the gun and medical kit. As they were wandering round the perimeter of the warehouse, filling the rest of the team in on the building specifics, Tosh asked them a question.

"Having fun?"

Owen and Ianto simultaneously looked at each other and grimaced. The day was a wet one, and Owen had to jump on occasion to miss some of the deeper puddles littering the ground. They were cold and tired and just wanted to curl up to each other and sleep.

"Don't know what you're missing," replied Ianto through slightly chattering teeth.

Jack directed them to the side of the warehouse preparing for the assault. Jack gave the go ahead, and once in position Ianto asked Owen.

"Did you bring the alarm deactivator?"

To which Owen brandished a handgun before taking aim and firing at the lock bolting the metallic door shut. Ianto turned, having heard the silencer saying, "Well, that's one way of doing it."

Both prepared themselves, making sure they were sufficiently armed before Owen flung the door wide open. Ianto covered the area inside the doorway as Owen moved in just as they started moving into the warehouse Jack sounded over the comms.

"Ianto, Owen, stand down. I repeat, stand down."

Both guys backed away from the entrance, closed the door and made to return back to Ianto's car.

"What was all that about?" growled Owen.

"Jack? What's going on? Has something happened?"

"Speak later," was all that Ianto received as a reply before the signal went dead.

"Apparently he'll tell us later," Ianto said on a sigh, "We can get some feeling back, to our hands and feet in the car."

"What a waste of time!" Owen raged, "What was the point of this whole charade?"

"I know. I feel the same way, but we need to wait. He'll tell us eventually."

"As usual," mumbled Owen.

Ianto holstered his weapon and took the scanner out of Owen's right hand. Placing both in his pocket he took Owen's hand in his and placed them in Owen's coat pocket for warmth. Owen wiggled his fingers so they twined with Ianto's.

They walked back to the car in companionable silence. Ianto opened the driver's door for Owen, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before shutting the door. As he rounded the car himself heading for the passenger door, Owen turned the ignition. Settling down into the fabric seat Owen said quietly, "I hope we sort this out soon. I want you, soon."

After Gwen's boyfriend Rhys was introduced to the team and a domestic situation followed about the warehouse mission they headed in. Jack had surprised them all by saying they would be saving the creature. All Owen had on his mind was what chemicals could he use to sufficiently sedate it and provide it with painkillers. He mixed substances together calculating formulas and amounts in his head. In the middle of a particularly complex addition his comm. Was filled with Ianto's voice, "They're armed."

His heart sank in his chest.

Hearing a sound behind him he whirled around grabbing the stranger by the lapels of his jacket, slamming him against the nearest door. The stranger protested his innocence, telling Owen the sedatives he'd been working on would no longer work. It was at this point that a jolt of electricity was pulsed through his body. Ianto's face filled his field of vision and Owen reached out in a similar grip he'd used on the stranger, but instead he pulled Ianto and kissed him square on the lips, releasing him immediately.

"Spontaneous enough for you?"

"Yes, but wrong situation. You've got to help them. It's out of control."

"Change of plan then," and Owen hauled a massive syringe and a large white container out of the door with him, leaving Ianto to stop the men that had gotten away.

Upon running into the main area of the warehouse Owen got his first good look at the creature his only reaction was, "Bloody hell!"

He was gobsmacked. He'd never imagined the creature would be so big. Recovering quickly from his shock, his friends lives were at risk. Owen prepared his syringe, filling it which the chemical in the white container. Owen strategically contemplated where the best place was to hit the creature with the injection. Readying himself he apologised to the creature before launching himself into a run. The syringe pierced the thick whale like blubber of the creature's skin before pressing the lever which pushed the liquid into its flesh.

The creature's movements became erratic, flopping its huge body from side to side. Its wails and screeching became almost too much for the human ear.

It took a second attempt with the syringe before the liquid entered its system and the creature quietened its movements.

"What did you do?" cried Jack.

"Mercy killing," Owen replied in frustration. He threw the syringe down in temper. His whole adult career had been to do no harm. He fixed people, and even if they died or had to suffer a little to survive Owen always knew, deep down, that he had tried his best and his internal code of ethics were still intact.

At this precise moment Owen felt he had failed and, for the first time in his life, had compromised his ethical code. One look at Jack's devastated face reaffirmed that. But it wasn't something he could allow himself to dwell on as he needed to treat Rhys for the gunshot wound to his shoulder.

Once finished he stood next to the creature chanting five words over and over again.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Toshiko kept Owen company until Ianto arrived and quietly led him away. Ianto assumed the others would make their own way back to the Hub. Once he'd settled Owen at his desk he'd swing back and 'incinerate' the creature at Jack's request.

"How are you feeling?" asked Ianto gently.

He wheeled Tosh's chair placing it within reach of his lover.

Owen hadn't looked at him properly yet, preferring to stare intently at the ground. Ianto waited for Owen to talk.

"I killed a defenceless animal just because it was more convenient than trying to sedate and save it."

"You had no other choice. The gun fire destroyed the rigging holding it down. It was us or it. It nearly crushed Tosh and Jack! If the situation had been reversed I would've done the same thing."

"NOT THE POINT!!" shouted Owen. He stood quickly which unbalanced the chair he'd been sitting on. Without saying a word, Ianto replaced the chair to its rightful place and waited for Owen to continue.

"I killed when I should and could have saved."

Owen started pacing the floor. Ianto hoped the others took longer to get back. The good thing was that Owen had gotten through the shocked stage quickly, moving almost directly to anger. The seven stages of grief were common stages of feelings after death. The shock he'd suffered had only lasted until Ianto had started asking how he was. Pain and guilt had swiftly paved the way to anger.

"There was nothing you could do," pleaded Ianto.

"Why not?" Owen looked at Ianto for the first time, seeing an unhappy look in the younger man's eyes.

"You had to make a quick decision. That creature may have suffered endlessly if you'd tried the sedative route. You helped it. We don't know how long they'd had it tied up, cutting meat from its body while all it could do was feel. You saved it from future pain. You helped it in its time of need. I know it was a hard decision and not one you made easily."

"How can you look at me? After what I've done?"

And so Owen moved to the depression and reflection stage. Ianto was almost grateful he'd been through this all before. He knew each stage intimately. He had long since accepted Lisa's death and obviously moved on, but he still thought about what he'd been through so many months ago. Owen had been through the same thing but his acceptance and hope had had longer to stay with him.

"I love you. I loved you for a long time. No matter what you do, how you do it or where you go, I will always love you. You didn't kill that creature in cold blood, or even self defence. It was a mercy killing, even you said so yourself. You did it because you had no other option. No one blames you. Only you!"

Ianto lapped into silence. Owen had continued to pace the floor listening to Ianto talk. He chose to sit when Ianto told him he'd had no other option.

"I had no option," Owen repeated.

"No. You didn't. It was the only way to save the rest of the team."

Owen rested his elbows on his knees and threaded his fingers through his hair.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Anything to help. I love you."

"I l-love you too."

"You need to get cleaned up before the others get here."


	9. Adam

**9 – ADAM**

It was strange, having a sensation that something wasn't quite right. Tosh's raunchier clothing should've been the giveaway, or Gwen's sudden memory loss of her fiancée. It was tough to lay a finger on it, but one thing Ianto had noticed was Owen's insistence to wearing glasses. He never needed them in the past, not that Ianto could remember anyway. He felt something was missing, but had no idea what, so he floated through the day feeling unsettled.

He noticed Owen's attraction to Tosh and couldn't ignore a slight pull of jealously he couldn't understand. Tosh and Owen were working closely together in the boardroom, and had no idea who or when a small wooden box had been brought into the Hub.

"So according to the molecular breakdown, this potentially alien complex artefact is, in fact made of wood," said Tosh less than impressed by the artefact they'd been trying to identify all day.

"Well perhaps it erm...fell in the crate by mistake, picked up meson energy from the other stuff?"

"Yeah right!"

"Oh yes. Sorry. It was a stupid idea." Owen averted his eyes to the table he was sat at, embarrassed that what he'd said had made him seem stupid in Tosh's eyes.

"I think Jack brought it in," said Ianto leaning casually against the doorway.

"No. I'm sure Adam found it on an excavation a few months back."

"I'll have a look in the diary. I like to log the interesting stuff."

"You write about artefacts in your diary?" Tosh had always assumed that Ianto was a little bit more interesting than that.

"Among other things," Ianto winked playfully and went off to find and read his diary entries.

What he found when he read back 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, was that Adam was never mentioned, not even once, but a relationship with Owen was. He flicked through page after page of events he'd recorded, frantically looking for any sign of what he was after. He was shocked, but with this knowledge he felt a piece of a puzzle he hadn't known was missing fall into place. Adam shouldn't be in the Hub. He had no idea how he'd infiltrated Torchwood or why no one seemed to think he was out of place. He closed the tattered book and sat on the edge of his seat to place the book on the coffee table in front of him. As he sat back worrying over what he knew, in the dark a voice said, "What's wrong?"

Ianto shot out of his seat and turned to confront the person that one minute ago hadn't been there. He was startled to see Adam sat next to him. He hadn't been there when he'd sat down and he hadn't seen or heard come near him. He felt his only option was to confront him.

"My... diary. You're not in it. Everyone else is. Why would I leave you out?" Adam slowly crept forward making Ianto breathless with shock and deep seated fear.

"Like I'm remembering a man who doesn't exist."

Adam had picked up the diary when Ianto had stood from his seat, flicking through the pages absently. He snapped the book closed and the book slipped from Adam's hand dropping to the floor, raising his right hand. It flickered like a bad connection on a television screen.

"What are you?"

Adam rushed forward and let his momentum clash into Ianto, grabbing him by the shoulders and propelling him into the plastic barrier behind him.

"Cross me and I'll fill you full of fake memories until your head is on fire because that's how I exist!"

Ianto shoved Adam away.

"Gwen? What you did you do to her?"

"Memory is a very delicate thing. Feeding myself in wiped other memories out. It's a side effect of what I have to do in order to survive."

"Jack had to know."

"Remember this...I know you didn't mean to kill her. You just couldn't stop yourself. Remember this!"

Ianto cried out in pain and groaned like a wounded animal at the images flashing across his eyes. His hands around their necks. The feeling of power at ending of a life. Ianto tried to fight off the fake memories.

"I didn't do that!"

"Oh yes you did. And she wasn't the first. Good old Ianto. Loyal Ianto. Roaming the streets at night for bait."

"My...diary..."

"All human record is a lie! You twist it into what you want to believe. But we know the rot in your heart. You crave flesh."

"No...please!"

"Remember it...Remember it...REMEMBER IT! Remember it...Remember IT! I helped you dump the bodies, it's me you call. You know, I forgot what a rush it is, feeding in the bad stuff."

Adam patted Ianto on the head patronisingly, congratulating himself for a job well done.

Ianto's movements became erratic, almost mimicking a small child who though there was a monster under their bed, jumpy and paranoid. He twitched and turned, trying to escape his thoughts and nightmares before finally crossing his ankles and bringing his knees to his chest, and crying out loud, enough to bring tears to his eyes. What had he done?

I killed a woman. It made me feel good, and powerful, but I strangled three innocent women in dark alleys. He chanted this to himself quietly as he curled up into a tight ball and rocked forwards and backwards rhythmically. The cog door alarm rent the air making Ianto jump. He saw the shadow of his Captain and couldn't stop his reaction to call out to him in the dark.

Jack, startled, looked around and spotted Ianto. Thank you! After the night he'd had seeing dead ghosts he was a little jumpier than he normally would have been.

"Jack!" called a hoarse whispered voice.

"Ianto? Hey! What's wrong?" asked Jack walking up to Ianto. He was sprawled in a chair staring off into space.

"You have to put me in the vaults. Lock me up. I killed three girls," sniff, "strangled them."

"Stop kidding around."

"I'm serious I murdered them in cold blood. I took their bodies and-" Ianto suddenly leaped from his seat and was searching widely for something. Jack took a small uncertain step back.

"You have to lock me away, before I turn on you. None of you are safe!"

"Hey-hey. Come here, come here. What's happened to you?"

Jack tried to read Ianto by looking directly with his eyes before wrapping him into a hug. Ianto accepted the warmth and safety Jack provided, before saying, "I'm a monster."

"Best lie detector on the planet. If something's untrue then the light turns red. Go!"

"My hands on her throat, and it felt so good."

Ianto's face told Jack he'd enjoyed it, gotten some pleasure from murder but Jack couldn't believe Ianto could kill anyone.

"Squeezing the life out of her. It reads as truth." Jack looked grim as the lie detector stayed green.

"I don't believe it. Okay, tell me about the second girl."

"She tried to get away, but I was too quick. Pleading! And I-I didn't care. Something in me wants to kill."

"No. No! This is not you. Something's changed you. You're not a murderer. I'm certain of it."

Jack dismantled the lie detector in frustration and left the room intent on proving Ianto's innocence. He scanned the Hub cameras for proof that Ianto wasn't a killer. He found what he was looking for. He saw that whenever Adam touched people he asked them to remember, and not long afterwards something strange happened. Like Gwen's loss of memory of who Rhys was, Jack's own nostalgia of his dead family.

Once the mechanics were set into motion Jack dragged Ianto across the room from his observation spot on the metal staircase to watch the monitor as Adam forced him to remember things he'd never done.

"Come here, come here! Look. LOOK!"

They each watched the computer screen as the images proving Ianto's innocence flashed in front of them, then checked the lab for blood samples and Adam's personnel file; one was missing, the other was created less than 24 hours earlier.

The hub lights switched on suddenly, and Ianto and Jack sprang away from each other and the computer thinking it was Adam, but it was only Owen.

Within minutes, all the team, Adam included, were at their desks about ready to start working. Jack crept up on Adam and planted the muzzle of his Webley into the rear of Adam's head.

"Talk to me Adam. If that's really your name."

"What?"

"What are you doing Jack?"

"He's not who you think he is. He'd been feeding himself into our memories by touch."

"Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"He didn't exist until two days ago."

"Could somebody tell me what's going on here please?" pleaded Adam.

"Jack, we've known him for years, he's part of the team."

"No! He just made you think that."

"Oh come on Jack," said Jack as he stood and turned moving his hand towards Jack's shoulder.

"Ah ah! You don't get to me like that." Jack took a step away from Adam, training his gun from Adam's chest to his head.

"Jack you know me! You recruited me three years ago."

"All I know is that when I think of my team I see you there, but I don't feel anything for you. No pride. No warmth. You, the one I can confide in. The one who unburied the dead!"

"Jack, maybe you've just forgotten him, like I did with Rhys?" said Gwen, a little shocked at the turn of events unfolding before her.

"Oh. I should have spotted it them. That wasn't stress. That was him. By making us think we know him he disturbs our real memories."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm taking him to the vaults."

"Jack this is ridiculous!"

"Move!"

Jack escorted Adam by gunpoint towards the vaults when Tosh drew her weapon and turned it on Jack. A loud argument ensued with Tosh threatening to shoot Jack if Adam wasn't released. Ianto managed to create a small distraction, fighting with Tosh to aim the gun away from Jack and he, with Owen's help disarmed her. She cried out his name pleading for him to be freed as he went to the vault.

Once Adam was secured in his cell, Jack assembled everyone together round the table in the conference room. He had to try and restore what had been taken or altered by their unwelcome visitor.

"Our memories define us. Adam changed these memories, changed who we are. Now I have to help you all go back. Find a memory that defines you. Rediscover who you are. If I'm wrong he'll still be here when we've done this. Let me take you back to before we all met. Feel around for anything that makes you who you are. The hidden and the forgotten. Tell me where you are."

"It's my birthday. Mum spends the whole day screaming. 'I love you 'cos your my son, but that doesn't mean I have to like you!'" said Owen.

"Meeting Lisa. Falling in love. Never felt so alive."

"Turn 16, she packs my bags. 'That's the nicest thing you've done for me in years mother.'"

"Losing Lisa. Like a world that ended."

Jack handed each of them a single small retcon tablet.

"You save one life, a hundred lives, but it's never enough. Who'll save me?"

"I will," said Jack confidently.

"Coming here, it gave me meaning again. You," Ianto looked up at Jack with a slightly startled expression on his face.

Jack planted a kiss on Ianto's forehead.

"You each have a short term amnesia pill. It'll make you forget Adam. We have to wipe out the last 48 hours from our memories. Go back to who we were."

Ianto swallows his immediately. Not wanting to remember the murders he as sure he had committed.

Ianto woke first. He surveyed the room. All his colleagues were unconscious lying over the boardroom table. At first he thought them seriously injured so he checked their pulse and found them all to be breathing. He thought hard to come up with a reason for being here but could come up with none. The last thing he remembered was waking up next to Owen at Owen's flat and heading to work. That was Wednesday. As he checked his watch it read as Friday evening. That had to be wrong! Owen must've tampered with his watch again. The others still hadn't stirred so he left Owen a note telling him he'd be at a computer terminal upstairs.

Twenty minutes later and he'd found Jack on the internal scanner who also seemed to be alive (no surprise there!) Gwen had been the first to wake followed by Owen and Tosh. None of them had any memory of the last few days and the camera footage that rolled twenty four hours a day had been deleted. Everyone was annoyed, and in Owen's case pissed off at losing two days to Torchwood.

Jack soon turned up and had no recollection of why he hadn't been with the others or the last two days. Ianto felt he had one other option that might explain the events that had taken place – his diary. He spent hours trying to find it, searching everywhere he could think of that he might've left it. It wasn't until he considered it might be in Jack's office that he found himself crossing the threshold.

"Did you erm..."

"Found your diary."

"Yep, been looking for that," Ianto snatched it out of Jack's waiting hand. Jack smiled knowingly before he added something else.

"And for the record, measuring tapes never lie!"

Fuck, thought Ianto as he mouthed the word silently. He hadn't meant for anyone else to read any of his diary. Not even Owen had seen a single page of it. It had started innocently enough, all three guys at the local pub with Tosh and Gwen after a particularly hard day. All the guys had been eager to drink rapidly and compare inane things like how fast you could down a pint, or how big your cock was. So Gwen had been the judge, after numerous pints, with a scoring pad in one hand and a tape measure in the other.

Jack had come out on top with both Ianto and Owen tied for second place. Ianto had drunkenly called for a second opinion, so Tosh became the adjudicator, announcing in favour of Jack. That night Ianto had sprawled out on his bed and scribbled in his diary about Jack's cock being an illusion or the tape measure was lying.

Clearly Jack had taken the time to read through the pages and had come across this amusing entry, hence the comment. Ianto was unsure if he'd ever stop blushing.

Owen noticed the crimson bloom high on his lover's cheeks and called him into the autopsy bay.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well we have no clue as to what we've been up to for over 48 hours. Everyone needs to undergo a physical. You look a little red. Got a temperature?" Owen used the back of his left hand to check Ianto's forehead for any sign of an increase in heat from Ianto's skin.

"Really I'm fine. Alright, please promise you won't laugh and I'll tell you why I'm blushing."

"Promise!"

"I must've left my diary in Jack's office and he went ahead and read a few pages. Specifically what I wrote about that line in the pub when he had that measuring competition."

"Yeeeeesss..."

"Well basically I wrote that the tape measure must've lied when Gwen measured him. What can I say? I was drunk when I wrote it."

"Can I read it?" pleaded Owen.

"Maybe...what's it worth?"

"Cooked meal at mine and a foot rub?"

"Make it a massage – full body, and you can read five extra pages as well as the one from that night."

"Seems like a lot of work on my part to read some words you've written on a page."

"But it'll be worth it."

"When can I read them?"

"After food and massage. Plus we can give each other a private physical to make sure we're still in working order."

"Sounds like a nice night."

"I forgot to ask earlier. When I woke up in the boardroom you had a pair of glasses in front of you, were they yours? I've never seen you wearing them before."

"Yeah I noticed too. I used to wear glasses years ago at university but I got laser eye treatment. I kept the glasses just in case and as a reminder to not read so much."

"Well well, there are still things we don't know about each other. I can't wait to find out what other skeletons you have in your closet."


	10. Reset

**10 – Reset**

"Really, it isn't funny."

"So you keep saying, but I can't seem to stop laughing!"

"Well it's the only t-shirt I have clean!"

"Didn't you think to chuck some clothes in with mine last night?"

"You kind of distracted me."

"I didn't do anything!"

"You bent over to fill the washing machine. My mind wandered a little on what I could do, by which point you'd already set the machine and turned it on," moaned Owen.

"So you're blaming me now?"

"Yes-no, maybe."

"You'll have to borrow one of my shirts."

Owen pulled his tongue out behind Ianto's back.

"I saw that!" said Ianto without turning.

"How-"

"Mirror!"

"Ah. Sorry."

"Hurry up. We'll be late for work."

Ianto and Owen's phones beep simultaneously. Ianto picked his phone up off the top of the dresser and read the message.

"It's from Jack. He needs you to go to a warehouse a few miles outside of town and help Tosh out with a rogue weevil. "

"What about you?"

"I'll walk to work, its fine."

"You got your gun?"

"Yeah it's in the kitchen drawer near the sink."

Owen and Tosh split up as they entered the warehouse, they could hear the heavy breathing of the wild animal, moving through the dank, dark open space. As they thought they were closing on the Weevil there was a male body lying on a green plastic tarp. Owen moved in to check for vital signs.

"He's dead."

The Weevil was left alone to escape as they dealt with the dead body. They would find the Weevil again some other time. On returning to the Hub the body was transferred to the autopsy table, Owen struggled to find any cause of death, though he had only gotten started when the rest of the team crowded round him to find any information he had on the death.

Meanwhile upstairs a stranger opened the door of the fake tourist office and stepped into the warmth closing the door behind her.

"Sorry we're closing," said Ianto flippantly as he flicked through a magazine. The person who entered did not say a word but, instead, took out her ID and flashed it at Ianto.

Ianto straightened immediately from his slouched position behind the desk.

"Erm..excuse me ma'am." He rushed to show her where she needed to go. He touched the hidden door panel switch and showed her through the concealed opening.

Ianto touched his comm as he breathed deeply to calm himself. Jack had mentioned the other day that they were receiving a visitor from UNIT and that he needed to be on the lookout because she was a VIP guest.

"Jack, your VIP visitor is here," then he proceeded to follow her down the corridor and steps leading to the Hub.

A mile below sea level Jack flew from his position in the autopsy bay to welcome his guest.

"Suddenly in an underground mortuary on a wet night in Cardiff, I hear the song of a nightingale... Miss Martha Jones."

Jack made the introductions between Martha and his team. Martha was keen to get straight to work.

"So what about this pattern then Dr Jones?" said Owen.

"They were being written off as suicides or accidents. Look! Puncture mark," she said as she pried he victims eyelid apart to expose the bottom of his eyeball, "Hypodermic needle. You'll find his blood stream was pumped full of ammonium hydroxide."

"Yeah...bloodstream. That was the thing I was going to do next."

"Have you checked his medical records?"

"Erm no," reply Owen, flustered. He wasn't used to being questioned about his job.

"Then let's give it a go. You never know Owen, you might learn something!" stated Martha with a slight sarcastic slant to her voice.

It turned out the victim NHS information had been deliberately wiped. There was some kind of conspiracy going on. While tests were being run Jack and Gwen gave Martha a tour of the facility. Near the end of the tour they came across a stand while held a piece of alien technology. Martha was astonished at some of the artifacts they had on display.

Owen showed off his new toy – the singularity scalpel. It had been Ianto's idea for the name. He explained what he'd managed to get it to do while setting up a demonstration with a polystyrene cup and a screwed-up piece of paper. He calibrated the machine, and ignoring Gwen's advice about not messing with it after what happened the last time, it missed its intended target hitting the wall only inches from Ianto's head as he was coming to deliver a message to Jack.

Ianto was shocked and embarrassed in front of company for shouting out like a girl, and more than a little bit angry at Owen for attempting to play with the machine without extensive knowledge of what it was used for, and not notifying people he was using it.

Gwen and Jack laughed, Martha looked sympathetic and Owen cringed inside knowing he'd have to pay for it later. Ianto got himself under control before relaying his message about another body being found, but this time it was alive.

Owen, Jack and Martha went away to speak to the woman who had survived the attack. As they waited for news there was another call from the Cardiff police stated that a male dead body had been found, which sounded like a similar death to their first victim. Gwen and Ianto went out to investigate.

As they received some vital information from the victim that had survived the hypodermic attack it became apparent that a company was involved in these attacks. Jack organised a meeting with the rest of the team and they soon realised that Owen knew the most about the owner of the company, called Professor Aaron Copley, so he would accompany Jack as they paid him a visit.

Before they left, Ianto managed to pull Owen away for a few minutes so they could talk.

"You like her."

"I do not."

"Do too! You tried to astound her with medical terminology and she knocked you back. Now you're going out of your way to impress her. You like her."

"Okay," said Owen guiltily, "so maybe she reminded of what real life medicine is like. It's nice to bounce ideas off someone with a similar background. I've...I've missed it. I seem to be getting very proficient with autopsies, but that wasn't really what I trained to do. I'm just enjoying having her around, even under the circumstances."

"Well she seems to be under the impressions that Jack and I used to be an item."

When Owen raised an eyebrow questioning Ianto's statement Ianto had to continue, "Martha asked Gwen about Jack and if there'd ever been anything between any of us and him. Obviously Gwen couldn't keep her mouth shut so she said that I'd been out on a date with him, and she immediately assumed that we – as in me and him, were a couple, but I'll have to set her straight later on. Apparently she seemed genuinely shocked that Jack and I weren't a couple."

"Did she say why?"

"Not sure, but I'll ask her later."

Not long later, Jack and Owen loaded up the SUV and headed to the Pharm. Jack waited until they got onto a main stretch of road before Owen started to talk about what Ianto had spoken about.

"Can I ask you something?" asked Owen quietly, keeping his eyes directed on the passing traffic as Jack drove.

"Sure."

"Ianto was speaking to Gwen earlier about Martha, and it seems Martha was under the impression that you and Ianto are an item."

"What?"

"Yeah! Ianto's going to speak to her about it later. Any idea why she'd think that?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes, of course."

"You have to promise not to get angry or tell Ianto."

"But if it concerns or endangers him-"

"It doesn't. I promise. Swear you won' tell Ianto!"

"Alright! Alright, I swear."

"Well...," thinking of the right words Jack thought for a minute and then continued, "When I disappeared I spent some time with Martha and her family, mostly with her family. I was t-tortured and became a bit delusional. I don't remember much, but Martha's mother and sister claim I called Ianto's name while I slept and hallucinated in chains from the drugs I was given. When I saw something happen to someone that looked like him I broke down physically and emotionally. I was inconsolable for months, but it wasn't real, none of it was. Martha's family are the only other people who remember it, and I was in no fit state to tell them he wasn't my boyfriend. I'd built him up in my head, he was – is someone I love."

"I'm sorry Jack. For what you went through. I'm not angry. You clung onto one person you knew extremely well, and created a life in your head. It's common with trauma victims especially during torture and periods of isolation. That's why you asked him out on a date when you came back to Torchwood isn't it? And why you never talk about why you were away for so long "

"And I never will. Not to any of you. You don't need to know, but you can't say anything to him about what I've just said. He can never know. Not now that he's with you. He loves you, that's all there is to it."

"But you don't just come out of something like that feeling normal Jack."

"Ha! I'm as 'normal' as I'll ever be. Can we drop this? I'm sorry Martha brought this whole thing up. I'll speak to her."

"No harm done. It led to a little excitement and laughter, but I can see now it was inappropriate given what you've gone through. I'll keep this to myself, but Ianto is going to be curious about it. Maybe you should tell him yourself."

"No!"

"Okay, but if you ever want to talk about it I'm here."

"Thank you."

"We're coming up to the compound."

Jack slowed the SUV down as he approached the main guard of the facility. On a quick glance Jack noted that the guards were heavily armed, a bit of overkill but Jack had been expecting it from the state of their computer system security.

Jack touched the electric switch to lower the driver window and told them who he was.

"Torchwood!"

The guards seemed to know that they should be allowed entrance even though Jack and Owen both knew they weren't on any list.

After the discussion with Professor Copley they headed back to the Hub in silence, they didn't even have the radio on to drown out the silence. Both needed time to think about their current situation and also what they had talked about before meeting with the professor.

An impromptu meeting was held where it was decided, mostly by Martha, that there should be an undercover mission to the Pharm and that Martha should be the one doing it. Owen got a little over protective about sending Martha on a risky mission like this and spoke to Jack about it. Meanwhile Ianto got the chance to speak to Martha alone while he handed her fake ID for the assignment.

"These are the plans for the Pharms buildings. From what Jack and Owen saw they reckon the main house contains Copley's office, medical research suites and the accommodation for the clinical trail subjects."

"What about the buildings at the rear?"

"Restricted area. Fenced off, armed security. Jack thinks that's where the readings of alien life forms came from."

"Cool!"

"But you don't need to go anywhere near there."

"Spoilsport."

"First thing you need to do is get yourself accepted as a clinical trial subject. Don't try too hard, don't draw too much attention to yourself."

"Be invisible. I can do that."

"Once you're in we need you to gain access to the Pharms IT system, close down the system firewalls and security protocols. That way Tosh can gain access to the files and see what they're really up to."

"Industrial espionage. It's very civilised."

"Once you've done that get out! Don't take any unnecessary risks."

"Understood."

"Cool!"

"So...Jack asked me if I could get you a Unit cap to wear."

"Did he?" Why would Jack say something like that to Martha? Martha nodded to Ianto's question.

"Well red is my colour, but you know I'm with Owen. I have a question about your conversation with Gwen earlier."

"Okay, fire away."

"Why did you assume Jack and I-I mean me and Jack were a couple? You've spent some time with Jack, but Jack and I have never been a couple. We're friends, but that's it."

"I obviously had the wrong end of the stick, but if Jack wants you to know about it then he's the one to tell you, not me. It isn't my story to tell."

"Should I be worried?"

"No, no. It was a long time ago, but if you really want to know ask Jack."

Then they got down to business.

"Alright. Could you get hold of that UNIT cap then? I think it would be a nice treat for Owen some time."

"I'll let you know, but I don't see why not. As long as you don't lend it to Jack we're all safe."

Both of them laughed then carried on with the rest of their set up.

Later Ianto sought out Owen again to speak to him about his conversation with Martha. He found him in the Archives, digging through some old information they had on Aaron Copley and the rift.

"What are you doing down here?"

"Research, though I don't think it'll help. What's up?"

"I spoke to Martha and she wouldn't tell me why she thought Jack and I were a couple. She said I should ask Jack."

"Oh I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure he'll speak to you soon."

"How can you know that?"

"Not sure..."

"You're rubbish at lying, but I can't be bothered to push you at the minute. You'd tell me if I needed to know. Anyway Martha did give me a good idea for a present for you."

"Oh really? Care to share?"

"I think I'll let you guess, but you'll find it out when it arrives."

With that Ianto turned on his heel, threw a smirk over his shoulder and strutted out of the Archives.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

It was a long time into the night, when Martha had gone out of communication range with their special contact lenses. Tosh was pleased that Martha had been able to get her remote access to the Pharm's computer server, but as she'd tried to escape she had dropped off their radar. Due to the access they had for the computer's Gwen was able to track down the next victim of a hit man employed by the Pharm to kill medical volunteers, but no one seemed to know the reason why.

Gwen and Ianto headed to the home of the final victim on the Pharms hit list, in the SUV, before she was assassinated. They arrived in time to save the young woman, and managed to capture the hit-man, securing him and bringing him back to the Hub for questioning.

Owen, Jack and Ianto worked as a team to frighten and fake torture the hit-man when he started to complain of stomach pains and started vomiting blood. Owen picked up the singularity scalpel and tried to save the man's life, but due to the calibrations being off the hit-man and the contents of his stomach exploded quite violently all over the three of them.

They had a quick shower to clean themselves up, before setting a plan together to infiltrate the Pharm with the hit-man's dead body, courtesy of Tosh's wicked mind.

Tosh, Gwen and Ianto were grouped as one team working through the warehouses on the Pharm's land, which all contained captured aliens from the rift which were farmed for their toxins, used on humans for medical purposes. Each individual was shocked and horrified by what they saw, the way innocent aliens were being held, tortured and used while being kept alive.

Jack and Owen made team two whose job was to penetrate the main building they had visited earlier in the day. They burst through the doors to find Aaron Copley and his assistant monitoring Martha, who was unconscious strapped to a table with needles and wires entering her body. Jack entered into a heated argument with the professor when Martha started to take a turn for the worst.

He called Jack over to help and Professor Copley took that time to escape. Owen, having thought to bring the singularity scalpel, set about rushing to calibrate the machine. Jack was scared that the machine wouldn't work and kill Martha like it did the hitman, but Owen presented a good argument and Jack let him proceed.

Ianto let Jack know over the comm what they had found in the warehouses. Jack requested Ianto give Tosh permission to crash the computer systems of the Pharm.

At zero hour when Martha was struggling to fight off the growing may fly larvae in her stomach. Owen was forced to use the singularity scalpel. She raised off the bed into a seated position gasping for breath, before falling quickly back down. Her heart stopped, the machine she was strapped to beeped one continuous noise indicating her heart had stopped beating, stopped pumping vital oxygen and nutrients to her brain and muscles.

After three seconds the beeping changed to a steady rhythm, and her heart restarted in a normal rhythm. She started to breathe on her own too. Jack and Owen hauled her to her feet and carried her between them outside the building.

Jack met up with the rest of his team in front of the building, ready to load into the SUV at a moment's notice. Jack nodded to Tosh to shut the whole operation down.

Suddenly out of nowhere Aaron Copley stepped out of the building brandishing a gun at the group.

"Did you really think I was going to let you walk away? You ruined everything I've worked for." He stepped closer.

Owen, being at the back of the group, closest to Copley, pushed Martha behind him in a protective gesture and stepped forward to deal with Copley, he raised his hands before he spoke.

"Now let's not be stupid, okay? We're both rational men, scientists...I know you don't want to shoot her."

As he finished the last word in his sentence Owen was felled to the floor as he took a bullet from Copley's gun, at almost point blank range in the middle of the chest. Everybody jolted with shock and disbelief. Ianto couldn't move. He couldn't remember his own name as his heart pushed up into his mouth.

Copley raised the gun a second time calling, "You're next," in Martha's direction, swinging the gun towards her head.

Jack aimed carefully, trying to avoid hitting Martha who was stood directly in front of him. He fired once and hit bull's eye. Direct shot in Copley's forehead, dead centre.

Tosh was the first to rush to Owen's aid, followed by Jack. Gwen stood their aiming her gun at Copley making sure that he nor any of his guards tried to attack them while they tried to help Owen.

"Can you hear me Owen?" shouted Martha.

"You've got to help him!" wailed Tosh.

"Owen? Stay with me! Owen. Owen, look at me, look at me. Owen, look right at me. Stay with me, Owen. Stay with me, stay with me buddy. Come on, come on," chanted Jack as he held Owen's hand.

Gwen passed the first aid kit from the SUV to Martha's waiting hands and she injected him with some adrenaline and special blood clotting agent to stop the bleeding.

"Owen, speak to me," cried Martha, but there was nothing they could do. Owen stopped breathing, his life force passed out of him and everything and everyone in that single minute stopped.

Martha checked his pulse and declared, "He's dead."

Jack, devastated, called Owen's name one final time.

But where was Ianto in all this? Ianto was broken. Ianto stood on the edge of the crowd that were his friends and mourned, weeping inside. Not one single tear escaped his eyes as he heard the team trying to save Owen's life. Ianto spent a lot of time in those first minutes trying to remember to inhale and exhale as he stood, waiting for the good news that was never going to come.

As Jack whispered Owen's name for the last time Ianto turned away from the sight of his lover's body and crumpled to the floor. He almost went unnoticed except for Gwen who had also stood away from the people surrounding Owen. Gwen released the Pharm assistant she had restrained and moved quickly to Ianto's side. Ianto's eyes were closed, but he appeared to be breathing. Gwen took the gun out of his hand and rolled him into the recovery position.

Martha glanced up and saw Gwen huddled over Ianto's body.

"Ianto! My God! Gwen was he hit as well? Did we miss something?"

"No. He just collapsed. He's breathing and there's no sign of blood. Its shock or grief...or both!"

"We need to get him into the SUV and keep him warm with a blanket."

Jack took up the task of gently lifting, carrying and placing first Ianto's, then Owen's body into the SUV. Ianto in the front passenger's seat and Owen lied out in the boot. Ianto remained unconscious for the whole drive back to the Hub. The journey was subdued and not one person's eyes were tearless. Jack drove, and the three girls were sat in the back.

Copley's assistant and the other members of the Pharm were passed onto the Cardiff City Police Department to be dealt with for kidnapping and holding illegal aliens, indecent prison living conditions for aliens and the murder of dozens of medical trial volunteers.


	11. Dead Man Walking

**11 - A Day In Death**

Ianto could hear Tosh scream Owen's name as he sealed himself in the hospital lobby with the physical incarnation of death. She cried and screamed Owen's name until she was hoarse, and Ianto could do nothing to help.

Three minutes is all it took. Three minutes of incapacitating fear that he had lost Owen for a second time, then nothing. Silence. Ianto quietly spoke Jack's name into his comm. Everyone's name, and still nothing. In a split second he heard a gasp of breath behind him and a hand gripped his right shoulder tightly. Ianto whirled around breathlessly to see Martha's worried and concerned face. Ianto laughed with relief.

"I'm so glad you're alright."

Ianto didn't get to see Owen until all the survivors of death had been handled at the hospital. Gwen and Ianto had been given the clear up task, while Jack, Martha and Tosh went back to the Hub to check Owen over.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" Ianto asked Gwen quietly as they walked a flight of stairs separating one hospital floor from another.

"I don't know. He seems fine, but what he did was stupid; he shouldn't have risked himself like that!" Gwen seemed angry and put out by Owen's action to save the world from death. A problem that Jack had actually created, much to Ianto's happiness.

"He had nothing else to lose," said Ianto, trying to see things from Owen's point of view, even though he had no idea what he was feeling. He was so busy thinking that he forgot to walk, stopping at the bottom of the last flight of stairs.

"He'd already died once in the last 48 hours. He saw it as a selfless act. He could sacrifice and save himself from suffering from being the living dead, while saving the whole of humanity in the same go."

"Have you had the chance to speak to him since...earlier?" Ianto lowered himself down onto the bottom step, and Gwen followed suit.

Gwen found it hard to say that not too long ago Owen had been stretched out on an autopsy table, awaiting a post mortem before Jack had put a stop to Martha's procedure.

"No. Things have been...busy. I don't know what to say to him just now...What would you say, if it were Rhys?"

"I guess I'd be the same, but you need to sit down with him eventually."

"I know. I still love him, and want to be with him. He died! He died right in front of me, of all of us. I couldn't help him because my fear paralysed me. He was my partner and I wasn't there with him when he took his last breath, because I couldn't move because of some paralysing fear before I fainted like a woman! I may still want to be with him, but will he still want to be with me?"

"You need to spend some time together, away from Torchwood. Ask Jack when you get back if you can take some time off."

"Not going to happen. Owen'll be quarantined; Jack's rules. I'll find a way, but thanks Gwen, for letting me talk about it."

"I'm around any time you want to talk, about anything."

Ianto smiled slightly, briefly placing a hand on Gwen's arm before he stood. Gwen followed suit preceding Ianto as they walked up the final set of stair to deal with the upper hospital levels.


	12. A Day In Death

"Can we talk?" asked Ianto. He stood in front of Owen, who stood in the Hub typing away on a desk top keyboard.

"Sure. As you can you see I have _plenty of time_," replied Owen sarcastically. Owen didn't look up from what he was working on.

Ianto was a little put off his stride by the lack of eye contact and general rudeness, but tried to continue his conversation anyway. He dived right back into what he had to say. No point in putting off the inevitable.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. My body just shut down on me when I heard the gunshot. My brain screamed for me to move, get to you, to help you, but I couldn't move. It should've been me holding your hand, not Jack or Tosh. Me! The man that loves you."

"We can't change the past Ianto, but you couldn't have done anything anyway." Owen's fingers stilled on the keys of the keyboard, but he still wouldn't look up, trying to keep his emotions in check.

"I could have eased your suffering by making you more comfortable, get you to concentrate on something else. I should have been with you at the end." Ianto wanted so much to reach out and touch his hand to Owen's hand, but he didn't, sensing the distance between them.

"I shouldn't have stepped in front of a power hunger maniac wielding a gun to save Martha, but I did, and now I'm like this. Martha has my job and I'm confined to this damn place! My life or death couldn't get any worse. At this particular moment in time I just want some time to think. What was past is past Ianto. We have to move on."

"I'll give you time to think, and say I'm sorry...again. If you want to talk you know where to find me. Do you want some things from your apartment?"

"No, I've got what I need."

"Okay...bye."

Owen had dismissed Ianto quiet harshly, but he believed he had valid reason for doing so.

Ianto had told him he loved him and didn't know how he would live without him when Jack had brought him back with the resi-mitten, but Ianto had gotten a reprise and Owen was the un-dead for whatever that was worth. Being the un-dead had some perks, but it had a lot of setbacks. One setback was they couldn't share a romantic meal together. Sure, they could share the romantic setting, but there would be no sharing dessert or tasting each other's dishes, as Owen couldn't eat or drink anything. No digestive system. If that had been the only major drawback then Owen could've handled it, but Owen couldn't use any of his bodily functions, not just his digestive system.

Ianto could no longer warm his cold feet on Owen's calves, or rest his head on Owen's chest just to listen to his heartbeat or chest rise and fall under his head.

The final straw in all this was Owen couldn't get physically excited. When Ianto was in the mood they wouldn't be able to hide in the Archive for a few fumbling moments of pleasure. Sharing their king-size bed at Ianto's flat was now out of the question, as sexual gratification and love making were impossible. No heart beat to circulate his cold blood to the vital lovemaking equipment.

It would have been easier on everyone if they had left him to the nothingness of death; he wouldn't have known any difference. Jack had had to go and be selfish, wanting the code to the morgue and protecting Ianto's fragile heart from shattering.

Owen felt angry, at least he could still feel emotions, he thought to himself. He felt rage bubble up inside knowing he couldn't fulfil Ianto's needs anymore. Owen felt he only had one option, which was to push Ianto away. Hurt him with harsh words and actions, isolating himself from everyone, although that had happened by pure coincidence since he'd been quarantined.

He spent his time in the last 24 hours googling random words, tidying the leaflets in the Tourist Office, and when Ianto had tried to approach him he'd walked in the opposite direction as much as he could.

He'd only felt useful when he'd had to help evacuate the hospital, and the reason behind that was down to him.

Ianto may have said he loved him now, but give it a few months. Without sharing kisses, body warmth, and sex, all that would change. Ianto may have pulled away when things had gotten hard in the past, but he'd run miles once all they had in their relationship was talking. Talking could only last so long.

Owen sighed, he didn't like it but he only had one choice. He didn't want Ianto to hate him when things got tough, but they could stay friends, like they'd been when Jack had left.

Owen had a sudden thought. The conversation he had had with Jack in the SUV before they'd first visited the Pharm, before he'd died. Jack had feelings for Ianto. Jack had fancied Ianto for a while, had even taken Ianto on a date while they had been separated.

Owen didn't want to lose Ianto to anyone, but if he had to he'd prefer it to be someone he trusted, someone he knew fairly well, or so he'd like to think.

Ianto would try to stay by Owen's side out of misguided loyalty for as long as Owen was around, but maybe it was time to push Ianto towards Jack's willing arms. Maybe he could hurt him so badly that the only person he would talk to was Jack. The conversation and subsequent argument had to be something to do with Torchwood. Something personal that would result in Ianto working harder to keep them together.

Owen stayed where he was and planned his move meticulously.

"Jack, can I have a word?" requested Ianto as he stood in the doorway of Jack's office.

"Sure Ianto. What can I do for you?" Jack was, as usual, surrounded by mountains of paperwork, but he looked from the report he was proof reading to look at Ianto as he spoke.

"It's about...Owen. Has he spoken to you about what he's feeling?"

"He hasn't, though I know he and Martha have been spending some time together."

"Has she said anything to you?"

"No she hasn't. Ianto what's going on?" Jack pushed away from his desk, moving towards the door. He gestured for Ianto to move into the room, ushering him to sit in the chair at his desk, before shutting the door closed, offering them some privacy.

"He won't talk to me," Ianto started, wringing his hands gently, showing Jack just how upset he was.

Every time I try to get near him he leaves the room! I offered to get some of his things from his apartment, but he said he had all he needed, dismissing me. I-I tried to apologise to him, for not being there for him at the end. He said the past is past, as if none of it matters. He DIED! You brought him back, and now he's different."

"Wouldn't you be different if you'd died and been brought back to life. Having to live not needing to eat, drink, feel anything or have sex?"

"What happened at the night club?" demanded Ianto abruptly.

"Ianto I really don't think-"

"Tell me!"

"Well...he went out, drank some beer and got hit on by this blonde woman. She got a little handy and I don't think Owen felt any kind of reaction down there."

"But women don't really do it for him."

"Not the point. If you had someone sticking their hands down your pants you'd get some kind of reaction."

"Ah then he...?"

"No he can't."

"What happened to the drink?"

"He had to bring it back up."

"Should I try again? Try talking to him?"

"Give him some space. I'll try if you want."

"As a boss conversation or friend conversation?"

"Both."

"Okay, I'll try and give him what he needs. Thanks Jack."

Ianto smiled a little at Jack and exited the office.

As it turned out it was several days later before Jack got the chance to speak to Owen alone. Owen quickly went off the rails, while he was stuck in the Hub; slicing his hand on a scapel he'd been throwing around carelessly. It happened without pain or sensation but irrevocably would never heal.

Jack sent Owen back to his apartment to get him away from his confinement, and warned Ianto to stay away, sending Tosh to keep him company. This resulted in Owen bending his finger backwards, breaking it in a bid to prove some pitiful point. He then ran all the way to Cardiff Bay, throwing himself into the deep murky water. For the first time since he'd been brought back to life he felt some kind of peace settle over him. When eventually Owen hauled himself out Jack had been waiting patiently on the wooden platform.

"36 minutes! Not bad."

"You were watching?"

"Skinny guy in tight jeans runs into water? I was taking pictures. How long's this going to go on for Owen?"

"Until I can be useful. Until there's a purpose to my dead life. Until Ianto moves on and finds someone else to be with."

"Is that what this is all about?"

"Mostly, yes! Jack I-we can't be together anymore. It's not possible."

"Tell him then."

"He would never listen! He loves me, blindly. He's loyal and would stay with me forever if I let him. He's 26 Jack! I can't ask him to stay by my side, ignoring his physical needs. No sex, no sharing body warmth, no tears. He has to live a real life, with a real person."

"You should be saying all this to him Owen."

"No. I should be telling you because you'll need to be there for him once this whole thing draws to a close. He's going to need you over anyone else."

"You're going to hurt him?"

"Yes. Jack it's the only way. Do you remember when you told me about that comment Martha made? About you and Ianto being a couple? I want him to be with you Jack. You can give him what he needs. You already love him. I can see it in your eyes. You tried to protect him by bringing me back, in part. If I had to give him up for anyone I'd rather it be you than some stranger."

"It'll never happen Owen, like you said, he loves you too much."

"I'm going to make it happen. If that means I have to hurt his feelings or catch him cheating on me with our boss then so be it, but it has to happen, sooner rather than later."

"So to start off, you've been ignoring him and speaking harshly to push him away? He's already been to see me about talking to you."

"Then please try to explain it would never work out between us. Push home what I'm not capable of giving him anymore. Please Jack! You created this situation! You need to help me fix it. You owe me! I would have been better off dead than struck in this limbo- not alive or dead but the un-dead."

"I'm sorry," replied Jack ashamed.

"Then do this for me. Think of it as my last dying wish."

"What if Ianto doesn't take to the idea?"

"Then he doesn't. Just as long as he stops thinking of me and him as a couple."

"Do you still love him? Won't it be weird for you?"

"Yes and yes, but I'll get used to it. It's a big adjustment period for everyone."

"I need to get back inside for a meeting. You coming?"

"I'm going to sit here for a while."

Owen spent another hour sitting on the edge of the dock, letting the sun take away the worst of the water his clothes had absorbed. He couldn't feel the cold, but he could feel the warmth of the sun gently on his skin, or was it just in his mind? Owen tried not to think about anything but taking in all the details of the day as it passed him by.

On his unhurried walk back to the Hub Owen wondered what Hub life would be like if Ianto and Jack did get together and he had to watch their relationship and feelings grow for each other. It hurt, but he knew that with time he would adjust. One day he might be eaten by an alien, or sawn in half by a magician, he was on borrowed time.

Back at the Hub, seeing that no one was around, Owen went about making everyone their preferred hot beverages, loading a tray he'd often seen Ianto carrying around, and made his way to the conference room. The meeting was in full flow, as he moved about the room, trying his best to melt into the background.

Their current problem was an old man, that had been on their radar for some years, who collected alien artefacts. Tosh had registered increasing energy readings coming from inside the old man's house, and it was a bit of a worry. But this man had some heavy security protecting the outside, as well as the inside of his house. Several security guards, CCTV, solar power body heat door and window sensors. Everyone in the room was wondering how they were going to by pass the sensors when a thought came across Owen.

"Sounds like you need a dead man," the words slipping out before he knew he had spoken them.

"Someone with no body heat," the more he thought about it, the more it made sense, "what have you got to lose?"

Silence reigned as one by one each person looked to the person next to them, wondering if this was their only option, would it be the right one. Both Jack and Ianto saw these glances move through the room, and Jack had the definitive vote. He caught Ianto's gaze, as Ianto stared holes into Jack's shirt, hoping Jack would deny Owen's request, but Jack inclined his head and rolled his eyes back, indicating he was willing to give Owen the chance to go out on field work.

Knowing what the decision meant Ianto stood from his chair, and without meeting Owen's stare, handed Owen his gun and security pass.

Everyone had their own preparations to do before they could attempt the search mission for the increased energy levels, so the meeting was finished. Jack and Martha drove out with Owen to the old man's location. Martha went over Owen's new safety protocols, enforcing that he wouldn't survive being shot, or broken because his body wouldn't heal the wound, so he had to treat himself as life he were glass.

The home invasion went as planned with a slight twist. The origin of the increased energy levels was in fact a harmless bit of alien technology that the old man was using because he thought it would prolong his life.

When everything was over, Owen met Jack and Martha back at the SUV on the edge of the property. Martha took one look at Owen's face and recognised that he needed to speak to Jack alone. She sat in the back of the SUV and made a delayed phone call to Tom, her fiancé.

Understanding what Martha was doing for him Owen launched into his plan for dealing with Ianto.

"I need you to seduce him Jack. I don't care how long it takes, but it seems that he's started to come to you to talk about me. I just have to make sure that the next time he comes to see you, that he stays with you. The only way I can do that is if you seduce him. It's the only way."

"It won't work Owen."

"Jack...I know how his mind works. He won't want to cheat on me, but if you don't give him much of an option, then his emotions will take him away with his sensations."

"What are you going to do in the mean time?"

"You're going to set him at ease, be a friend to him, cuddle him, cajole him into kiss you, then at some point I'm going to walk in and catch him in the act. From there I'll have a valid reason to leave him, and for him to fall in with you."

"He might never recover if he believes he's truly cheated on you. Can't you just talk to him? Explain all this to him!"

"Jack! You know how intelligent he is. He will just logic all this out and find some way for us to stay together. If has to be this way."

"As you're friend I'll try Owen, but only because I owe you. If this doesn't work, I'm not going to attempt this again, and we will never speak about it. Plus you can't tell Ianto about what we talking about on the way to the Pharm."

On Owen's advice, Jack dropped him off in the centre of the city, so he could take his time walking back to the Hub to find his lover and his friend making out together.

Conscious of the quiet streets around him he was surprised to see a piece of paper fall from the sky in front of him to land on the pavement in his path. He leant forward to pick it up, and found that it was a picture of a couple together. Owen looked up into the night sky and saw a pair of legs dangling precariously over the edge of a multi-storey car park. Having nothing else to do Owen made his way into the building and climbed up to the top. There he found a young woman, who gave the impression that she was about to jump off the building.

It took a long time, but Owen was eventually able to find out what was going on in her life, and scare her into wanting to live her life. It turned out that the woman's husband, of one hour, had died tragically on the day of their wedding in a car accident. He was killed on impact, but she walked away without a scratch. She was on the roof on what would have been their one year wedding anniversary.

When Owen was happy that the woman knew the value of her life he walked her back to her car and watched until she drove away. Then he made him way back to the Hub.

Discreetly Owen made his way through the car park at the back of the Hub, entering through the back of the building so as not to trigger any alarms. Owen took his time as he walked to Jack's office to replace the artefact, only to find out that Jack had done what he had promised, fulfilled the debt he owed. Jack had Ianto backed up against the wall in Jack's office, in a full-on passionate kiss. Owen waited several minutes before clearing his throat.

"Uh-hum," Owen had to repeat the action a second time, only louder as the men in front of him didn't appear to have heard him. Jack eventually became aware of Owen's presence and pulled himself away from Ianto.

"What the hell's going on here? Ianto? Jack?" Owen tried to make his voice sound as accusing as possible, though Owen was surprised to hear that it wasn't that difficult.

Owen hadn't realised how much seeing Ianto with another man would hurt, even when he had been expecting it. A small part of Owen was surprised Ianto would do this to him, a man proclaiming to love without restriction.

Ianto's eyes were wide with shock, quickly turning to embarrassment and something that could have been fear. Jack prepared himself for a showdown and maybe Owen lashing out at him so he played the part of the wounded lover to perfection.

Owen took a step away from the pair feigning disgust. Ianto was finding it hard to form any words, failing to string them into a sentence.

**20 MINS EARLIER**

"Ianto we need to talk."

"Have you spoken to Owen?"

"That's what I wanted to discuss. He's angry over what happened to him. Angry at being shot and dying. Angry that I brought him back, and that he's now the living dead, but mostly he's angry because he can't be with you anymore."

"That's not true! I love him Jack. I-"

"I know. Answer me a question. Before this incident, when you lay together in bed at night did you spend some time resting your head on his chest? Listening to his heartbeat? If it was a cold night did you snuggle under the covers to keep each other warm?"

"Jack that's a bit of a personal question."

"Just answer the question."

"Yes."

"Well now Owen's dead you're not going to be able to do that. Owen's heart no longer beats. His chest doesn't move when he breaths because he doesn't need to breath. And he isn't going to be able to warm your feet because he doesn't have warm blood circulating through his body warming him. Owen can't give you what you need. He understands that, has accepted it over the last few days. That's why he's being avoiding you. Why he's been abrupt when you do speak to each other.

He could die at any moment – his words, and he doesn't want you waiting around with him. He wants you to go out into the world and live your life, for the both of you. You're young, you'll love again, and he wants to see you happy."

"I will be, with him!"

"He still wants to be friends, but tell me this...what are you going to do about your needs? What will you do when you need passion and nothing but a hard screw against a wall will solve the problem? What will you do then? Owen won't be able to help."

"I-I..."

"He loves you, but he wants you to go and live your life, not be in limbo with him."

"Why isn't he telling me this?"

"He thought you wouldn't listen."

"Jack what am I going to do without him?"

Ianto burst into tears. A massive part of his life was gone! And yet still here! Like an object you could see, but was trapped behind a pane of glass, and you needed that object more than your next breath. Jack wrapped Ianto into his warm embrace, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead before tucking Ianto's head under his chin, letting it rest on the crown of Ianto's head. Jack held him until the tears subsided and his breathing normalised.

"There is one thing Owen wanted you to do. He asked me not to tell you anything of what I've just said. He wanted me to seduce you so that when he comes through the door in a short while and sees us in a compromising position then he could easily break up with you, and there'd be no need for you to understand what he's going through with his new condition."

"Then maybe we should give him a show."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Clearly he doesn't see us being able to get over his...condition. But you made some valid points. If we parted then I could find someone I used to do those things with. Owen and I could still be friends. Does he really think I can switch my feelings for him onto someone else?"

"So what do you want to do?"

"I want you to keep holding me for now."

"I can do that!"

In the quiet of the evening the only sound they could hear was their breathing. Minutes felt like hours before Ianto hesitantly pulled slightly away from Jack. He took his head from under Jack's chin, but kept his arms around his waist. Tilting his head he manoeuvred himself until their lips were aligned. One breathe in to calm himself and Ianto raised his body so their lips were in sufficiently close enough to seal his lips over Jack's.

Surprised but almost knowing it was going to happen Jack let Ianto make whatever moves he was going to make. This kiss was different to the one they had shared in the car a few months ago. Ianto was in control, softening and deepening the kiss. His movements were hesitant, unsure of himself and what Jack liked. Time held no meaning. Jack felt Ianto was over thinking the situation. After the news he had had to bestow on the young Welshman he felt a need to do anything other than think. Jack took control slowly walking Ianto backwards until he was supported against the cold rough bricks of his office interior.

Jack deepened the kiss more, forcing Ianto to lose sight of what he was doing. He had no choice but to follow Jack on this unusual journey.

Jack had controlled himself in the past, not allowing his hands to wander, but now he allowed them to move. One hand shifted down to Ianto's backside while the other travelled up Ianto's spine, both hands working together to bring Ianto flush against Jack's body. Jack shuffled forward to wedge Ianto further against the wall.

Sensation was the only thing filling Ianto's mind and body, so when a 'uh-hum' sounded he didn't hear it. When there was a second one Ianto still had no idea, except for Jack pulling away from him and the mind filling sensations slowly dissipated, along with the extraordinary warmth of Jack's torso.

The one thing he did hear was 'What the hell's going on here? Ianto? Jack?'

Ianto's eyes widened at seeing Owen standing in the doorway. Ianto had completely forgotten where and with whom he was with. He blushed, embarrassed at his reaction to Jack's kiss. It wasn't often he forgot pretty much everything that was in his brain for a short time, but it had happened.

Jack prepared himself for the show. Owen was no doubt about to put on a farewell performance for Ianto's sake, even though he had no idea it wasn't needed. Ianto kicked his brain into gear, but it was working much slower than before, and he couldn't quite find the words he needed to answer Owen.

Owen took a step back, away from the pair. His jealousy was getting the better of him. Ianto had never had a look like that on his face when he'd kissed him soundly before. Owen had carefully crafted the scene that had played out in front of him, put it into motion but now his emotions were getting the better of him. There would be no need to put on a persuasive act, because he felt like a lover scorned.

"I know you planned this Owen," Ianto finally responded to Owen's question, but it wasn't the answer Owen had expected.

"What do you mean?"

Ianto stepped away from the wall at his back, and in front of Jack.

"You wanted this to happen I know you planned, with Jack, to find me like this. A perfect way for you to break up with me without really hurting my feelings, as I'd cheated on you."

"I-, " Owen stuttered. Damn Jack for doing what he promised he wouldn't.

"Why couldn't you have talked to me about this? Why tell Jack and talk him into a position he'd rather not have to be in?"

"He loves you! The reason Martha asked those questions? The reason she thought you were a couple was because Jack pretty much told her himself."

"Owen you promised not to-," Jack called, only to be drowned out by Owen again.

"Jack he needs to know! While he was away, with the Doctor, Jack was tortured. When he was delirious he called your name in his sleep and Martha's family heard. They told Martha. When they asked Jack he didn't deny any assumptions they made about you being his boyfriend. Eventually he created a world in his head where you and he existed happily, together. He's been in love with you for a while, and you helped him through a hard time in his life, even if you weren't actually there."

"Is this true?" Ianto questioned Jack, putting some distance between them.

"Owen promised he'd never tell you."

"Is it true? Yes or no!"

"Yes!"

Ianto took a second to think.

"Okay. Back to the matter at hand. Am I that unapproachable you couldn't talk to me Owen? You could talk to Jack but not me?"

"You were determined to try to keep things how they'd been before the accident. You were planning things in your head. A nice meal, cuddling up on the sofa with some popcorn and a DVD. But things aren't the same Ianto! I'm dead! I could slip down the stairs and break a leg and it would never heal. I'd be unable to walk until I actually died for good. You shouldn't have to live like that."

"What if I wanted to?"

"The whole point of this debacle was so you had no choice but to move on. I won't deny I still love you, but you deserve better than a dead man yet to die. And Jack loves you. You at least like him or you never would've agreed to that date a while back. Give it a try. Please, for me!"

"Since you and Jack explained things to me and you're working together it doesn't seem like I have much of a choice."

"Meaning?" asked Jack.

"You and I will talk about this later Jack, and I still want us to be friends Owen and do things together. I don't want to cut you out of my life altogether, and we do still have to work together."

"Okay. I can deal with that, but I have one request? Please, if you do discover you have feelings for Jack, don't kiss in public view. I was getting little green horns for a minute there."

"If we were, going to kiss I mean, I think the no kissing rule at the office would be fair."

"Good. Right I need to store this artefact from Mr-"

Together all three helped secure the artefact in the Archives and Owen went home to sort Ianto's stuff out. Ianto had offered him a lift, but Owen declined saying he had the time to waste, as he didn't sleep anymore.

Ianto stayed behind to talk to Jack. Jack hadn't really said much since Owen spilled his secret. He hasn't looked Ianto in the eye since Jack had comforted Ianto's tears.

Ianto made some coffee then joined Jack in his office. Jack sat behind his desk. Ianto sat opposite with the desk separating them.

"So...," Ianto left the sentence hanging.

"So?"

"Alright. Let's start with this...you being tortured. You've never mentioned it before."

"Because everybody didn't need to know! I've dealt with it in my own way."

"By creating a life with me in your head? Doesn't that seem a little weird to you?"

"I had to find a place in my head that I could retreat to when things got really bad. My mind created you and me, together. I would go there to help keep me sane and when I slept, to comfort me and pretend to keep me safe. It wasn't a sexual thing, just company."

"Why me?" Ianto asked the question, it seemed like a reasonable question.

"In the last few years I've stopped my free loving ways. It happens from decade to decade. I enjoyed our flirting, it was refreshing. I felt a...connection to you. I didn't know why. I still don't."

"What happens now?"

"That's up to you."

"I think I need to think about this."

"Maybe take tomorrow off. It'll give you some space from Owen and me. You might be able to clear your head a little easier that way."

"I'll let you know in the morning, as long as you can manage without me?"

"I'm sure we can."

"Thank you."


	13. Something Borrowed

Something Borrowed

After a couple of months Jack and Ianto were slowly but surely progressing towards a real relationship. Jack had been acting like a true gentleman. They went out in the evenings, when the rift alerts permitted. Jack always drove and picked Ianto up, giving him a chance to relax. Jack dropped Ianto off but never pushed for anything overly physical.

Ianto and Owen had eventually gotten used to their situation too. Ianto liked to go round to Owen's flat and watch an old DVD or go for a walk in the local park. Owen enjoyed the company, as he spent a lot of time alone when everyone else was sleeping. They'd reminisce about old times or silly things they'd said or done recently at work such as Gwen had said that day about her wedding plans.

Tosh had also started visiting Owen, filling in for the times Ianto was with Jack. Owen had never realised they'd had so much in common. They started frequenting old cinemas and bowling alleys so they were rarely bored.

The only person who didn't really see the team for anything other than working colleagues was Gwen. She was being very egocentric about her wedding plans, and didn't give anyone else a thought outside of work. She moaned and groaned about the entire organisation she had to do but never asked how other people were getting on.

Ianto had been thinking a lot of late. He'd been thinking that it was about time he and Jack moved forward in their relationship. Whenever they went out, they seemed, to outsiders, like two attractive single straight males. On lookers would comment to friends in pubs and restaurants about the two gorgeous men who looked like they were on the pull. Jack didn't seem to notice the gossip. He was happy to be spending time with Ianto. Initially Ianto hadn't noticed either, but when Jack had gone to use the loo one time, Ianto had been hit on by a very well endowed woman asking about Jack's availability. In that moment, as Ianto casually replied Jack wasn't single, Ianto realised Jack had done no more than kiss him behind closed doors. Maybe Jack had taken Owen's comment about no kissing in public to heart. Ianto made a concerted decision after that evening. He wanted...no, needed to do something about this. If Jack wanted their relationship to work then he'd have to do more than kiss him.

Gwen's wedding day quickly rolled round, bringing with it Nostrovites, Berkeran scanners and lots of champagne and retcon. They got through the wedding and near the end of the night, during the wedding reception, Ianto saw Jack on the dance floor with Gwen. Ianto wasn't jealous, but he thought this would be the ideal opportunity to get a little closer to Jack.

Resolutely Ianto stood moving away from their table, making his way through the other dancing couples scattered on the dance floor.

"Can I cut in?" asked Ianto politely as he approached the dancing couple.

Gwen and Jack parted, both expecting Ianto to take up a position with Gwen, but they were surprised when Ianto slid his arms around Jack's waist.

Gwen was taken back. This was her wedding. People should be lining up to dance with her. She had no idea that Ianto and Jack meant...anything to one another. Backing slowly away from the handsome swaying couple, who now only had eyes for each other, Gwen walked back to her new husband, confused and a little put out. Gwen didn't mention this to Rhys as she joined him at their table with him.

"I'm not sure Gwen liked that," said Jack, watching Gwen glide away out of the corner of his eye, as Ianto moved him proficiently around a small area of the dance floor.

"It may be her wedding, but I'm entitled to dance with whoever I want. I wanted to dance with you. Is that a problem?"

"Not at all, and I can see that. What about Owen?"

So Ianto had been right. Jack had taken Owen's promise a little too literally.

"Owen is dancing with Tosh quite happily over there. He's not bothered."

After a moment Ianto said, "You do know Owen only meant that no kissing rule in full view at the office right?"

"He said in public."

"Meaning not in front of him!"

"Doesn't that include things like holding hands and dancing?"

"No," laughed Ianto, taking one of Jack's hands in his and entwining their fingers. He thought this conversation was getting a little outlandish, "and if you really must know, I already spoke to Owen. I asked if he wouldn't mind us dancing together. He was fine with it, hence why I'm dancing with you now. Happy?"

"Well this is nice."

"It is. It's the first time I've been able to grope you in public." Wiggling his eyebrows Ianto slid his right hand from Jack's waist to his bum cheek, giving it a small squeeze quickly before moving it back to Jack's waist. The beat of the music they were dancing to changed to an old cheesy pop hit, as Ianto restarted his conversation.

"You know, I've been thinking."

"Uh-oh. That's not good."

"Quiet! Let me finish."

"Yes, sir!"

"Sarcastic! Anyway, what do you think about staying in the hotel tonight, the both of us, in one room?"

There was silence for two or three minutes and Ianto could see the cogs in Jack's head turning.

"What's brought this on?"

"I want to get further than a kiss at the end of the night, and you driving away."

"You're...you think...you're ready to do this?"

"I've been ready to do _this _for a while. It's you that hasn't seemed inclined to want to push _this_ any further."

"You needed time to get over Owen. To think about things. I was just giving you time."

"You've given me months to think about things, and while I appreciate the time you've given me, I've decided we should move on. Take things up a notch."

"Is Owen okay with this?"

"Me having sexual relations with someone else as I am single isn't any business of Owen's. He made sure it was no longer his business. I don't need his permission. You've got to stop thinking about Owen, when it should be just you and me."

"But-"

"Jack! I want to spend the night with you. In the most physical of senses! I'd like some sleep at the end of it, but I'm not expecting it. Now, if you feel you can't deliver that then..."

"I can!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"Just feels a little strange that after all this time I finally get to be with you."

"Oh Jack..."

"Book a room."

"Already done!"

Gwen & Rhys said goodbye to the Torchwood team before making to their way to their honeymoon suite, leaving everyone else to deal with their ret-conned sleeping family members. The day had ended but Jack hadn't wanted anyone to remember the events of Gwen's special day.

Tosh sighed, "Something tells me our bedtime is a long way off."

"That's right guys! It's been a busy day but we aren't finished yet. We've got a lot to do. We've got a major mop up operation, and I want your best work. Remember, its Gwen's wedding."

The team left their table to get to work on the people in the room.

"That's what I love about Torchwood. By day you're chasing the scum of the universe. Come midnight you're the wedding fairy," said Ianto, causing Jack to smile and roll his eyes simultaneously.

Each person took a section of the room. They gave the gently waking people a n agreed upon cover story, reassuring them that they hadn't missed a lot and that the wedding had been lovely. It took ninety minutes later everyone was out of the hired hall and back to their respective rooms to sleep off the after effects of the memory loss tablets.

The clock struck 1am as Tosh and Owen made their way back to Cardiff to mind the rift. Owen ha thought to try to question Jack on why he was having to get a lift with Tosh, but thought better of it. Owen had seen Ianto cut in to dance with Jack. He'd also seen Ianto's hungry smile as he'd slipped his hand down to caress Jack's rear. Knowing Ianto, Owen was surprised he hadn't seen any earlier PDA's, but Ianto wouldn't be so callous. Owen was under no assumptions as to what they would get up to tonight. Owen had believed Jack would ask permission at one point, as if Owen was Ianto's guardian, instead Ianto had asked. Owen wondered if Jack didn't want to feel like he was compounding his guilty burden by doing something without Owen's consent when it came to Ianto's well-being. It seemed that Ianto had pinned Jack down finally.

Owen knew Ianto hadn't been getting anything from Jack, he could tell by Ianto's unconscious stomping around occasionally and some of the sighs he let out at odd times. Ianto had never mentioned anything about his relationship with Jack when they spent time together, but Owen would catch Jack looking at him as if he wanted to ask a question, or just have a quiet word.

Owen looked out of the windscreen of Tosh's car and sighed as he thought it had been a while since he'd seen Ianto smile so readily.

Ianto was off speaking to caters while Jack twiddled his thumbs nervously. Jack couldn't fathom why he was nervous. He was no virgin...far from it, but it had been a long time since he'd been physically active. Jack hadn't had sex since Gwen had started working for him. He also thought part of the anxiety he was feeling was due to his feelings and thoughts for Ianto. The ones about the Ianto he'd created when the Master had tortured him for information about Martha, or sometimes just for fun.

Occasionally in Ianto's presence Jack was assaulted with feelings he didn't want to express to Ianto, fearing he might frighten him away. Jack loved him but treated him like a frail piece of crystal. That's why Jack had only kissed Ianto, because he didn't want him to break and have him disappear out of Jack's life.

Ianto noticed out of the corner of his eye Jack staring off into space, an apprehensive look on his face. A slither of guilt slid through Ianto. Jack had been tortured, it might have had a lasting effect on him. Ianto was a little nervous himself, but in a good way. He was a little worked up over their dance and was excited to close the door of their suite in a short while. Ianto was now considering if he had moved a little too quickly for Jack. Maybe they should just talk.

"We're all sorted here. Everyone has been dealt with. I'd call this a successful clean up."

"Good."

"Drink in the bar?" asked Ianto tentatively.

"No. We can get a drink from the minibar in the room."

"If you're sure..."

"Yes. Have you got the key?"

"Yeah. I feel like it's been burning a hole in my pocket."

"We'd better use it then, before your suit bursts into flames."

It was Jack's first real smile since they'd danced earlier.

"Ready?"

Ianto held out his hand to Jack who took in his, interlocking the fingers with his own.

"Ready."

The couple negotiated the reception area, now devoid of people, heading for a bank of lifts that took them to the seventh floor.

Ianto took the key out of his pocket and slid the card home in the lock. Ianto entered first, gently guiding Jack through the door. As the door glided shut behind them, Ianto turned and tugged on Jack's hands so he stumbled a little until he was directly in front of him.

"I've wanted to do this for a while."

Ianto used his free hand to manoeuvre Jack's head closer to his own, sealing their lips together. Ianto ghosted his lips from left to right and right to left as Jack responded in kind. After a minute Ianto drew back a centimetre still with his eyes open on Jack, and whispered, "Let me know if I'm going too fast."

"Shouldn't that be my line?" was Jack's reply before Jack took a little control, aligning his body to fit with Ianto's. He tugged his encapsulated hand free from Ianto's hold, preferring to place his hands on Ianto's bony hips.

Jack had lied to Ianto. He had said he'd never fantasised about him in a sexual manner, which wasn't strictly true. There has been one time, just once, when the Master had exhausted even Jack's threshold for pain. He had savagely beaten him with martial arts weapons, chained him to a wooden post in a crucifix position driving 7" steel nails through his wrists and palms, before attempting to dissolve his fingers with small drops of acid. The acid drops had pushed Jack over the edge.

He closed his tear filled eyes and let his mind drift above the pain and destruction on his body. His mind took him to a safe place. He wore a white pant suit. He could feel the sandy beach under his un-soled feet. He walked, but didn't know where to until he spotted a familiar figure relaxing under a palm tree.

Jack jogged to join the figure, who was also dressed in white.

"Hello Jack. What was it this time?" Ianto asked in a soothing voice.

"The usual."

"Tell me," comforted Ianto as he gestured Jack to lie with his head supported in Ianto's lap, shaded by the long green leaves of the palm tree. Jack described what had been done to him with little tears, after all it was only a dream. Ianto ran his fingers through Jack's hair, enticing him to relax.

Time held no meaning in this paradise. Then something strange had happened. Ianto's hands began to move from Jack's hair to his chest fluttering between the folds of the tunic he was wearing. Ianto bent his whole upper body forward and captured Jack's lips.

This had never happened before.

Imaginary Ianto and the imagined paradise had never consorted to seduce Jack in his mind before now. Sinking into the kiss Jack lost his ability to control and lead. Imaginary Ianto had taken this ability from Jack and used it against him. Laying him against the pure white sand, making him forgot all that had happened at the Master's hand, for a short while. Jack had discovered tranquillity as imaginary Ianto used his hands and mouth to pleasure him in a way he'd always thought he had once pleasured his past lovers. Then again, it was Jack's mind.

After reaching the stars via several mind-blowing orgasms Jack had slowly drifted asleep on the beach, and awoken in a heap on a cold metal floor. His skin was stained red from the blood he had lost through his injuries that were now healed. From the first day Jack had been incarcerated that was the only day he'd smiled. That dream had spurred Jack on to maintain his motivation against the Master's torture.

With his mind back in the present Jack felt he owed Ianto for that one desperate joyful moment he'd needed. Jack proceeded to do to real Ianto what imaginary Ianto had done to him. By the end of it both men were hot, sweaty, breathless and contented.

"Thank you," said Jack in the enveloping quiet.

"You did all the work. I should be the one thanking you."

"You're more than welcome."

The couple lay, recovering in each other's arms. Jack made the decision that if things went well with their relationship he would tell Ianto about the dream he'd had, but at this moment Jack didn't want anything to spoil the moment.

With his eyes closed Ianto spoke, "Champagne?"

"Hmm...I don't really drink, but I could make an exception. Got anything to go with it?"

"Let me go check."

Ianto made a move to get up off the bed, but Jack tightened his arms.

"Can't you check without moving?"

"Well I don't possess x-ray vision, and as the champagne is in the other room I'm going to have to get up eventually."

"You're right," Jack loosened his arms.

Ianto leapt from the bed, only to launch himself back into Jack's arms, and plant a wet kiss on Jack's pouting lips.

"Back in a minute."

Jack counted and Ianto returned, champagne and strawberries in hand. Jack sat back against the pillows crossing his legs and placing the sheet moderately over his lower half. Upon seeing how Jack had manoeuvred himself Ianto mirrored his posture. Ianto sat opposite Jack, putting the food and drink between them.

"So you pre-booked the room and the champagne, organised the rift watch, made Gwen's wedding spectacular to her family and just now sent me rocketing me into space. Is there anything you can't do?"

"I'm not sure, but maybe we should find out soon?"

They spent the rest of the night dozing and making love in between bouts of casually getting to know each other's bodies intimately. At one point Jack got Ianto to lie on his stomach and traced his index finger over every bit of skin he could touch. Not in a sexual way, more an exploration. Ianto tolerated the touch as Jack got him to turn onto his back before starting at Ianto's face, moving down. Although he hadn't meant to do it Jack could clearly see the effect he was having on his bedfellow. When Jack continued his finger trailing down to Ianto's ribcage, Ianto let out a harsh breath and a giggle.

"You've gotta stop! I'm ticklish!"

"And?" said Jack maliciously using his other fingers to stroke the sensitive skin around both sides of Ianto's ticklish ribs.

"Please Jack...stop! I...can't...breathe."

Ianto now used his hands to fend off Jack, but he didn't have the energy. Instead Ianto let Jack assault his ribs, wrapping his hands round Jack's strong neck and when he got a moment's reprieve when Jack moved into a more comfortable position Ianto used his strength to pull Jack down. The movement caused Jack to overbalance and he fell directly onto Ianto. Ianto seized the opportunity and crushed Jack to his lips. It took seconds for Jack to recover from his 'fall' before the whole love making thing started again.

Jack murmured, "What time do we have to be back?"

Ianto yawned.

"Whenever we want, but check out is midday."

"Okay."

Both men collapsed with exhaustion into dreamless sleep just before dawn.


	14. Adrift

Adrift

Ianto and Jack had been together as a couple for about eight months when Jonah Bevan's disappearance came to Gwen's attention. The evening he disappeared they'd been enjoying a quiet meal for two in a quiet restaurant close to Ianto's flat. Jack's vortex manipulator sounded a small alarm, alerting them to...well Ianto didn't know what.

"What's that?" asked Ianto inquisitively, sipping from his wineglass trying not to focus overly much on the wrist strap Jack was busy examining.

"Nothing, but I've got to go deal with something."

"It can't be nothing if it's coming through your wrist strap."

"Stay here, I'll be back in half an hour," demanded Jack who made a move to stand from his chair.

"I'm not sitting here like an idiot, alone. I'm coming with you. I assume we'll be needing the SUV?"

"Under no circumstances are you coming with me."

"Seriously? Then how are you going to get there? I have the keys to your ride."

Ianto slid his hand into his jacket pocket and fished out the keys, dangling them just out of Jack's reach across the expanse of the table.

"I don't have time to argue. Just hand them over!"

"I come along as back up or you don't go," delivered Ianto as an ultimatum, "obviously its Torchwood business which does involve me."

"It's not the kind of business you need to know about."

Ianto threw him a look that caused Jack to huff out a sigh. He fell silent for a minute contemplating his options before standing from his chair.

"Come on then, before it's too late...I'll explain on the way."

Ianto smiled softly and followed, trying not to gloat over this small victory. Ianto paid for the meal and grabbing both of their jackets, as they hurried out. Jack drove recklessly, which was nothing new, but this time he did it with speed; something unusual when it was just the two of them.

"Where are we going?"

"A bridge crossing the river."

"Okay – why are we going?"

"The Rift. There's something no one but me knows about it. It doesn't just spit things out, it also swallows things. Sometimes those things are inanimate objects, but more often than not they're living."

"How come I've never heard this before?"

"I'm in command. It's my job. I owe the people of this city, so I've never told anyone about it."

"How did you find out?"

"Negative Rift spikes. The Rift sometimes brings back what it took. Not often, but occasionally."

"Where do they go when they're taken?"

"I'm not sure. Lots of places, but those places are not nice places."

"So what do you do?"

"Investigate the negative spikes hoping the Rift will send back what belongs here quickly and in one piece. That doesn't happen often. We're here, stay in the car," stated Jack as he pulled the handbrake hard, causing the wheels of the SUB to squeal.

"But Jack-"

"Please!" Jack pleaded.

"Yes sir," replied Ianto demurely.

Jack shut the door quietly as he exited the vehicle. Five minutes later Jack got back into the vehicle, slamming the door this time in frustration.

"Can you access the CCTV footage from the bridge?"

"From here? Yes, in the back seat."

"Get on it. I want to see what the Rift took this time."

Ianto clambered into the back of the SUV. Jack didn't even grope him when he had to raise his ass in the air. A sure sign of the seriousness of the situation. Ianto used the keyboard and monitor set into the seat swiftly finding what he needed.

"Jack!" exclaimed Ianto, "It took a teenager."

"Find out his name and where he lives. Log his face through facial recognition databases."

In a short time they'd found the boys information.

"Jack, his mum lives across the water in those new flats. What do you do? Let the families know?"

"No! They can never know. We couldn't explain it anyway. It would mean more civvies knowing about Torchwood and what we do."

"Okay. What do we do then?"

"We wait and see if the Rift'll be kind enough to send him back."

"Back to the Hub then?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry this has spoilt our night."

"It's fine. It happens. More often then it should but it's an occupational hazard."

"I'll make it up to you another night."

"After we find the boy."

"Whatever you want," said Jack solemnly.

If Gwen hadn't been such a busybody then Cardiff would be a quieter, happier place, thought Ianto on the day he found out she was investigating Jonah's disappearance. She was leader of the inquisitive squad, which definitely could grate on everyone's nerves.

Jonah Bevan had been returned to Cardiff a short three months after he'd been taken, but he was a different person. Older, disfigured and crazy for 20 hours a day. Ianto had asked Jack to take him when/if the Rift deigned to return what it had taken. Jack had kept his word and they'd retrieved him together. They took the company boat out to a special island in the middle of the Bristol Channel, away from prying eyes and placed Jonah with some trained carers, who could see to his every need.

The staff did not know the real reason why the people who resided there had ended up so scarred, physically and mentally, but they were well paid and knew they were highly trusted. The failed experiment explanation was old, but believable enough.

The only problem was someone, probably Gwen's friend in the local police force, Andy Davidson, had contacted Gwen about Jonah's disappearance. She spent all her spare time in the last week and some work time compiling a case for her to be able to work on it.

When she confronted Jack about his CCTV appearance Jack refused to let her in on the Flat Holm care home. Jack was angry she knew as much as she did, but Ianto had warned him about what she was doing in relative secret.

After seeing the people Jack had hidden away on that island Ianto realised the enormity of Jack's responsibilities, and knew he wouldn't be able to shoulder everything for much longer. They were a couple, and should be able to shoulder things together. Ianto made the decision that Gwen's compassion would be a good asset to the dam aged people being spat out on the Rift.

One particular evening Jack was in a playful mood. He had planned a game for them to play, a naked game. Ianto had been a little nervous in case someone came back to the Hub, though it was after 11pm.

Both men stripped to their Birthday suits as Jack explained the rules. As the creator of the game Jack became the hunter. He allowed his prey a five minute lead before using his scanner on his vortex manipulator, which was tied in to the main server to find Ianto. The first game lasted 7 minutes 3 seconds.

Ianto initially assumed Jack was good at hide and seek, but the longer they played the more convinced Ianto became Jack was cheating.

Finally, Ianto as hunter took advantage of his position. He got dressed and made some coffee, before sitting down on the sofa to drink it. Jack waited 20 minutes before leaving his hiding place. He was miffed Ianto had a) gotten dressed and; b) make only enough coffee for himself.

"This wasn't part of the rules!" called Jack indignantly, not caring one bit that he was without clothes.

"You broke the rules," Ianto replied nonchalantly, resting his feet, crossed at the ankles on the small coffee table. Ianto avoided looking at Jack.

"When?"

"When you cheated?" said Ianto haughtily.

"I don't cheat!"

"Wrong! You cheat! Now go get some clothes on."

Jack marched away into his office and slid into his clothes. He marched back out and plonked himself next to Ianto on the sofa.

"One more game?" asked Jack hopefully.

"Not if you're going to cheat."

"I'll take the wrist strap off if it'll make you feel better, because I don't cheat."

"I'm making the rules for this next game. Number one – clothes stay on," Jack frowned, "number two – you hide and I seek. Number three – the game is 10 minutes long and the winner gets whatever he wants."

"Sounds reasonable enough except for the clothes-on rules."

"Live with it. The boundaries for the game are limited to what's in here," said Ianto as he raised his arms waving them round the main interior of the Hub, "No corridors or archives, and the hunter has to physically catch the prey."

"Okay. Agreed."

Ianto held out his hand, waiting for the vortex manipulator, which Jack reluctantly stripped from his wrist. Ianto put it away safely in a locked draw in the coffee table before he turned to Jack for the first time.

"Better get hiding then."

"Close your eyes and I will."

Ianto obliged and counted 300 seconds before he made his move. As he looked around the Hub, Ianto reasoned there was only one place that could potentially hide a person, and it had only one entrance/exit. The Hothouse! Ianto hadn't heard Jack on the stairs, but he was shoeless and he probably tiptoed. He could be very stealthy when he wanted to be.

Ianto stood from his place on the sofa and wandered up the stairs not wanting to prolong the inevitable. At the door to the plant filled room Ianto halted. He stuck his head through the door and inhaled. It smelled of all the fragranced alien plants they were growing and studying, but there was another smell. A deep musk that Ianto had grown very used to. He smelt it when he entered his house, when Jack wasn't around his hormones in Ianto's home had never been so long lasting. 51st Century Pheromones. Ianto probably would find it hard to ever live without them.

Ianto stepped into the heated room, closing and locking the door behind him. Pocketing the key Ianto proceeded to prowl around the room. He caught sight of a flesh coloured finger behind a large potted shrub in the left side of the room. Ianto quickly weighted his options for cheating payback. He decided to go with the dramatic. He dropped to his knees and pretended to faint dead to the floor. Just like that!

Jack had heard Ianto enter the room but he was confident Ianto wouldn't find him when he heard a dull thud, followed by a second one. Jack waited maybe 10 seconds, then angled his head so he could see past the pot shading him from view.

Ianto was covering a large majority of the floor, and he looked like he was unconscious. Shocked at what he saw Jack didn't hesitate. He scrambled across the floor, scraping his knees on the concrete floor until he reached Ianto's prone body. Bending over him Jack checked his pulse through the open necked shirt. Strong and steady. Jack started to panic, just a little. What could have happened to Ianto? Jack had to call for help. Owen would come immediately if Jack rang him.

As Jack turned he clambered over Ianto's prone body, making a bee-line to the door, Ianto opened one eye. He quickly and stealthily jumped to his feet and crept behind Jack as he tried to pull the door open unsuccessfully.

"Found and caught you," said Ianto in Jack's ear as he caught Jack around the waist, sliding the key from his pocket under Jack's arm into the lock, clicking it open before Jack spun round swiftly, , relieved to see him standing and conscious. Jack engulfed Ianto's mouth with his own.

Jack had dreaded all the things that might have been wrong with Ianto. He'd recounted hundreds of years worth of illnesses in his head in the seconds it had taken him to get to the door. Relief had flooded his system when he'd heard Ianto's voice. Jack used his body to let Ianto feel how relieved he was.

Ianto became very overwhelmed by Jack. So much so he had to pull away.

"Jack? What's the matter?" he said somewhat breathlessly.

"I thought you were dead! That you were really ill, especially when you collapsed."

"I did it to trick you, so I'd win the game."

"You did- just to win? I was half scared out of my mind with worry for your safety."

Jack hauled Ianto to him in anger, shaking him a little in the process. His mouth met Ianto's fiercely. Jack showed Ianto his anger and worry. Forcefully Jack walked them back in unison to the pot he'd been hiding behind. The whole night had been precluding to this moment, but Ianto had never imagined anger would be the cause for the heat.

Jack ripped open Ianto's shirt, though the button miraculously remained intact – this time. Ianto stuck one hand in Jack's open shirt pulling it off and inched one hand inside his trousers, just at the moment the hot house door opened and a female voice spoke.

"Jack I eh...Oh God! Ha...I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Shocked, the men stayed together to hide their reactions to each other. Ianto was very embarrassed. This was the kind of situation he'd been trying to avoid. Thank God it hadn't been Owen. Ianto moved swiftly to follow Gwen out, as she tried to escape the scene she couldn't get out of her head.

"Erh...," said Ianto trying to stop Gwen walking away. He attempted to button his shirt in haste, trying to claw back some dignity.

"Ianto, hi. I'm sorry, I didn't realise."

"Doesn't matter."

"And I wouldn't have come in if I'd known-"

"Always room for one more. We could have used you an hour ago for naked hide and seek."

"He cheats, he always cheats."

"Is there something you wanted?"

"Jonah Bevan. The missing boy. I'll make it my own special project. My responsibility, nothing to do with anyone else. I'm not letting it go!"

"No."

"What?"

"I don't know how I can be any clearer."

"Oh, well Tosh has her projects, so does Ianto. Why can't I?"

"Leave it alone."

"I can't."

Pause.

"Coming back in? Work to do."

"Yep."

"Jack we're not finished."

"Yes we are!"

"Erm. There's a package on your desk."

"Where were we?" said Jack, angry that their anger-fuelled sex session had been rudely interrupted.

"I'm sorry I made you think I was ill," said Ianto quietly as both men stood apart from each other at opposite ends of the hothouse.

"I used some of your techniques to win the game."

"It's okay, but can you not pretend to be unconscious ever again? I think I might've had heart failure for a minute there."

They met in a sweet, apologetic kiss as Jack's busy fingers skilfully undid the buttons over Ianto's chest.

After the hard floor of the hothouse, they moved to Jack's bunk an hour or so later. Ianto went to make Jack some coffee when his phone vibrated in his trouser pocket. Caller ID said it was Gwen.

"Hello?" Ianto juggled his mobile phone, jamming it between his shoulder and his ear while he continued to make Jack's coffee.

"You left me that package didn't you?" said Gwen quietly so Andy wouldn't overhear from his place at the counter.

"IANTO!" Ianto heard Jack shouting from his office.

"I don't know what you mean." Ianto was desperate to keep Jack in the quiet for as long as he could, and trying not to give Gwen too much information. He was slightly worried that things could back fire, especially after the big leap he'd taken tonight, giving Gwen the GPS tracker.

"Ianto what's going on?"

"Bye Gwen," Ianto was quick to dismiss Gwen and hung up. Jack was again shouting impatiently, but Ianto was unsure if Jack wanted his coffee, or Ianto.

"IANTO!"

Ianto felt a twinge of guilt after he'd hung up on his colleague. Jack was going to kill him for the information he'd given Gwen, he had not doubt. There were two options Ianto could think of to help ease the situation he'd put himself in– tell Jack now, or wait until Gwen found her way to the island.

Ianto didn't want Jack's anger for a second time today, as rewarding as it had been in the end, so Ianto chose to wait. Ianto made his way back to the bunk, equip with mind blowing coffee.

When Jack did find out, a day later, he was livid. He was a whirlwind in the Hub, throwing things around his office instead of placing them back in their place. He yelled for Ianto's presence. Ianto had the forethought to swing the door closed as he stepped in front of Jack's desk.

Ianto had thought a lot over the 12 hour period it had taken Jack to find out about what Ianto had done.

"What the hell were you thinking?" shouted Jack without preamble.

"You need help. You can't possibly keep every secret and maintain that it's your responsibility alone. Lightening the ownership will help in the future."

"You had no right-"

"No right? Are you speaking as a boss or a boyfriend?"

Jack's face fell and he was quiet.

"That's what I thought I'm going to leave now and go home early, before you say something you'll regret."

Ianto turned to leave, then added, "I think you should stay here tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."

And he left. Picking up his jacket on the way out, ignoring the looks from the rest of the team.

Jack sat stunned. This had been the first time, in his recollection that a lover had handled him so well. Jack fought to remember why he'd been angry in the first place. Ianto had meant well. He had tried to help Jack and do what was in his best interest. Ianto had tried to look towards the future, someone was bound to have found out eventually. Even Ianto had to have found out in order to help Jack better manage his team and Torchwood. Ianto had turned the tables and it'd been him that had been the bad guy, not Ianto. His anger rapidly turned to annoyance.

This was their first official argument. Well it hadn't even gotten to the arguing part yet Ianto had once claimed he knew everything about Jack, which would never be true, but clearly he knew how to handle him, and that went a long way to understanding him.

Sighing to himself he checked the time. 7pm. He had five hours until he could work things out with Ianto and apologise. Possibly some makeup sex, depending on how Ianto felt.

Jack left his office and went to apologise to his team. Jack thought it best to make amends with his team first, get on their good side, then deal with Ianto.

"I'm sorry for earlier," he didn't direct this statement at anyone in particular, but he knew that Owen would be the one to respond with harsh words.

"What happened?" asked Tosh tentatively.

Jack glanced at Gwen, who stoically kept her mouth shut. She knew part of this was her fault for forcefully pursuing Jonah when she'd been told to leave it alone.

"It's not important, but I shouldn't have taken my bad mood out on you."

"Harkness, that's the first time I think I've heard you apologise. Apology accepted, but what about Ianto? Where did he go?"

Jack had the grace to look embarrassed, his cheeks pinking gently.

"I'm going to sort it."

"If you hurt him...," threatened Owen.

"I know! You'll kill me."

"Sort it now then."

"I can't. He told me to stay away until tomorrow and I will."

"You shouldn't leave it 'til tomorrow."

"I have to, but tomorrow starts in five hours, so it's not long to wait."

"Sneaky. I like it text him, make sure he's alright."

"That's a good idea. He'll probably be a bit angry."

In the end Owen didn't call but dropped round to Ianto's flat.

"Hey. Can I come in?" asked Owen as Ianto opened the door.

"Course," replied Ianto who swung the door wide and led the way into the living room.

"Coffee?" offered Ianto.

Owen smiled faintly, "Not for me thanks."

"I forgot again didn't I?" questioned Ianto embarrassed.

"Yup, but you had your 'good host' hat on. Don't worry about it."

"I was distracted, sorry."

"Really? By what?" Owen asked innocently.

"About how I'll handle Jack tomorrow."

"Oh do tell!" Owen was pleased to see Ianto not moping around after his and Jack's fight.

"That's the point! I'm having a little trouble."

"I'm sure you'll think of something. How did all this come about anyway?"

Ianto hesitated, then filled Owen in on the generalised version of events, minus Jonah Bevan and Flat Holm.

"He's very secretive. Always has been. Do you reckon you'd have gotten away with it if you'd ha the traditional employee/employer relationship? Would you even have attempted it if you hadn't known Jack the way you do now?"

"I wouldn't even know if we hadn't been together when the Rift spiked."

"Ah."

They talked about other things and watched some TV before Owen checked his watch. It read 11pm.

"I'd better get going, got some research to finish."

"You work too hard you know."

"If I had something better to do, like sleep, then I'd agree with you. Instead I'm trying to make medical history now I have the time."

"Alright, I'll see you in the morning."

"Sleep well," and Owen let himself out of the house.

Stepping out onto the street Owen spied the SUV parked opposite Ianto's house. The night was cloudless and the stars and moon helped to light the quiet street. Owen sauntered across the dry tarmac road. Jack rolled the window down, feeling a little put out at being seen so obviously.

"You're a stalker Harkness! He's okay. Not angry anymore. Just don't fuck this up Jack, please."

"I have no intention of doing so."

Owen walked back to the Hub, opting to take the long route back, as he had time to kill.

Jack could see the living room light on in Ianto's house. He sat in silence for 20 minutes, just watching until the light was snapped off. Jack followed Ianto's path to the second floor by following the lights shining through double-glazed windows.

There was one obstacle Jack thought he may have to overcome when he entered Ianto's house. Ianto may have turned on his house alarm. If Ianto predicted Jack would come tonight then he would hopefully leave the alarm off. Normally, if Jack had to work late, Ianto would not activate his house security to make things easier for Jack. Jack held out hope that Ianto had followed his normal routine and had forgotten to activate it, or he'd know Jack would be in the house, thereby spoiling the surprise.

Jack watched as Ianto appeared in the upstairs window and slid the curtains shut, hiding him from view.

Jack had brought some items in an effort to make up with Ianto easier. He'd been a tad impulsive and brought flowers, chocolate and a stuffed teddy bear. Very un-jack-like, but, Jack thought, as first fights go Ianto had won quite spectacularly and he felt like being ritualistic in the giving of presents.

Jack had also purchased a single red rose and a pure white candle with a small 'forgive me?' cake. Jack just hoped all the gifts would help with Ianto forgive him.

Jack had also considered using his mouth as a present, but not in the way most people might think. He was mentally preparing to declare his love for Ianto and suggest they make their living arrangements a little more permanent. Jack was going to see how the moving thing went first before he made a fool of himself and told Ianto he was in love with him.

Jack knew Ianto's bedtime routine didn't last longer than 10 minutes, so he made his move.

He let himself into the house with his key, a key that he held along with spares for the rest of the team. As the door opened Jack held his breath. The panel beside his left eye was a static green colour signalling the alarm was inactive. He was in, now he had to hope Ianto didn't try to physically throw him out of the house.

Silently Jack crept up the stairs which were to his right, stepping over the steps he knew creaked. It wasn't as difficult as you'd expect to creep around in military issue boots. Jack had had a lot of practice.

He carried a clear plastic bag with the flowers in it, while the other items were secreted in the numerous pickets of his voluminous coat.

Jack took one long breath pulling the cold steel door handle as quietly as he could and slipped through the door. He left it slightly ajar and surveyed the room. The main bedroom light was off, but a small bedside table lamp spread a warm of yellow light about the room.

Ianto lay on the far side of the double bed with his back to the door, using the light to illuminate the words on the pages of his reading book. His bedroom door didn't creak, and he was so engrossed in the story he was reading he jumped a mile when the bed behind him dipped and he rolled onto his back, arms raised defensively, ready to fight off his intruder.

Jack's face loomed over him, thankfully.

"Hi," said Jack, a small smile ghosting his perfect lips.

"Jack! You scared the hell out of me! What are you doing here? I told you to stay away."

Ianto smacked Jack in the shoulder to show his displeasure at being frightened in his own home.

"Until tomorrow, you said. Well it is tomorrow, and I can't let you go to sleep angry with me. It's not good for your dreams."

"So the thought about me being angry with you wears on your conscience does it? What's that?" asked Ianto pointing to the plastic bag resting on the bed in Jack's hand.

"It's for you. I upset you with the way I handled things today, and they're a romantic gesture to apologise, in the hopes you'll forgive me. It's tradition."

Jack opened the bag with all the flourish of a magician and whipped out the flowers.

Handing them to Ianto he said, "There are a couple of other things too."

Jack plunged a hand into his coat to retrieve the chocolates and teddy bear. He then brought out the 'forgive me?' cake.

"I'm sorry," Jack's eyes pleaded, "I was angry because you'd gotten Gwen involved and because I find it a little difficult to separate Ianto the employee from Ianto the boyfriend. It's something I need to work on."

"And you brought all these to say sorry?"

"Yes."

Ianto smiled ruefully before replying, "I do forgive you. If you'd waited 'til morning I'd have forgiven you anyway."

"Well I do have another reason for being here. I thought it was time."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"There's something I have to say to you."

Ianto was unable to think of anything more Jack could want to tell him.

"I've been thinking a lot recently. About work, about you, us. I think it's safe to say that life would have been a lot harder on both of us if Owen hadn't pushed us together. WE spend the majority of our time together...in and out of work, so I wanted to ask if you'd like to move in with me?"

Jack was a little breathless as he rushed through his well rehearsed speech. For the first time that night Ianto smiled wholeheartedly.

"Jack, I'd like that a lot. Yes!"

Ianto reached blindly across the width of the bed, trying to hug Jack, but Jack remained out of reach.

"I do have something else to tell you. It's a bit more important than us finding a place to live together."

Jack now reached across the space he'd created, separating them to rest a palm on Ianto's cheek. He pulled the single red rose, still as perfect as it had been, out of an inside coat pocket. Holding it up in front of Ianto's face Jack made his declaration.

"You've helped me through some of the hardest parts of my life since you've been here. More than you could ever know. For me, I think this was inevitable. I've fallen in love with you. I love you so much, and I can't keep these feelings to myself anymore."

Handing the rose to Ianto, Jack reiterated his loving words.

Ianto's eye pricked with tears. He knew Jack well, and he wasn't someone to proclaim his feelings lightly.

"I love you too!"

The pair pulled themselves together meeting in a flourish of wet lips and tear stained skin. Ianto didn't usually wear a t-shirt to bed, and as the weather was quite warm, it made Jack's job of caressing his back and chest all the more easy.

Many minutes passed by, and Ianto's job, unlike Jack's, became frustrating. He ripped his body away from Jack's hold and, putting some distance between them, Ianto scooted away from Jack to the far end of the bed.

"Clothes and boots...off now!" ordered Ianto.

"Just because we love each other doesn't mean you can boss me around you know?"

"If you wanna stop...," Ianto warned.

"No! I'm just saying-"

"Shut up and get naked sir!"

"You'll pay for that!"

"Oh I'm sure I will, but only _after_ you're wearing no clothes."

Jack started to disperse of his clothing, throwing the items in all directions to annoy Ianto, but he slowed down to create a small striptease that left Ianto shaking with the urge to touch Jack.

"Mr Jones, you appear to be overdressed for this special occasion."

Jack had watched Ianto's expression change from hot desperate need to blank confusion.

Ianto blinked and followed Jack's gaze down his own body noticing his boxer shorts softly gripping his hips. He needed to make Jack as hungry as he was. He quickly dismissed copying Jack's striptease. His body was straining to be released from its cotton prison. Instead Ianto slipped the tops of his fingers under the elastic of the cotton waistband. He came into contact with his heated member, and traced shapes over the tip. He focused his eyes on Jack, who was watching him intensely. Ianto's hand slipped further into the covered area. His tongue unconsciously slipped out of his mouth to wet his dry lips. Ianto started stroking the length, feeling it pulsate under his fingers.

"Are you seriously trying to punish me?" pleaded Jack.

"Maybe...a little," Ianto smirked as his hand continued to cause shivers to travel down his spine.

"Can I take over? Your hand looks like it could use a break."

"How about we swap? You take mine, and I'll take yours?"

"Sounds fair," Jack's excited gaze at such an opportunity made the room light up.

Jack moved his hand to rest on Ianto's stomach for a few seconds before watching his hand disappear from view into a warm cotton prison. His hand joined Ianto's, and for several minutes they worked in tandem, sliding up and down in unison. Confident Jack would continue his work, Ianto slid his hand away from his body, feeling bereaved for a second at the loss of warmth. He moved his hand to Jack's solid flesh which stood to attention, as if saluting Ianto.

Ianto started out tracing shapes on Jack's skin, like he had done to himself, but Jack changed his movements from using fingertips to using his whole hand. The hand moved up and down in a rhythmical movement, never breaking contact. When one man changed their movement pattern, the other followed to join it.

Small amounts of warm liquid glistened at the end of each man's excitement.

Ianto's legs were weakening, so Jack halted his assault to help Ianto kneel on the bed were, at least, he didn't have too far to fall. Jack knelt high on his knees, continuing his work on Ianto. Their bodies were close enough to be able to kiss, Jack made sure of that. Both men were breathless from their ministrations quickening the speed of their kisses and touches. Each now used both hands to pleasure their other half.

They worked hard to bring each other to peak simultaneously. Ianto fell short by five seconds as he shouted loudly at the pleasure coursing through his body, ripple by ripple until it became an immense final wave.

Jack was hard put to think of a time he had orgasmed so well. He should declare his love more often. Then Jack fell over the cliff edge into the pleasure of oblivion.

A lifetime later both guys lay together on the bed, boneless, eyes closed but smiling.

"I love you," said Ianto sleepily.

"I love you too," murmured Jack as he snuggled Ianto deeper into his chest.

The Rift was kind that night, and the following morning, allowing the pair to sleep well into the next day.


	15. Out of the Rain

Author Note – Thank you to everyone that has read this story so far. Thank you to the people that have reviewed this story and requested me to kindly hurry up with it. I apologise for this taking as long as it had. I've got several stories on the go and my muse didn't hit me with the ending to this story until I was driving home last night.

I hope that it makes sense, and that you enjoy it.

Out of the Rain

Ianto had always been interested in the past. At school he'd taken great pleasure in each and every history class, absorbing facts and dates of old legends and significant planetary events. Part of his love of history stemmed from his trips to the local cinema.

As a boy he'd snuck into the back row of the cinema to watch old black and white films, sometimes when he should have been at school, other times when he wanted to get away from the world. He'd been fascinated by old structures that were no longer there. Taking a journey, out of time. Following characters as the hero perilously risked his life to save the heroine.

As Ianto had gone through puberty and into adulthood his love of history had moved towards architecture. The years moved on, as one by one buildings in the surrounding area of Cardiff fell away and new, more modern ones were put in their place.

When he moved to London, after finishing college, he found a new love in Lisa Hallett. He opened himself up to her and shared his passion. They spent many weekends wandering through old churches and back streets in London. Theatres and classic cinemas also became their playground.

After Lisa's first death, through the Cyber-man invasion, Ianto had lost all joy in old buildings and history. He turned to medical texts, to aid him in nursing Lisa back to health.

He spent time researching medical journals, archives he'd hidden away for his own personal reading and tried to get as much information as he could about other Torchwood facilities.

When he finally gained a position at Torchwood Three, after Jack, with his colleagues, had murdered Lisa for being a fully integrated Cyber-man; he remained closed off from everyone. He didn't share things with people. He didn't comment on any interests, experiences or choices he had made.

Being in a relationship with Owen had helped him reconnect with the world, but it wasn't until Jack had commented on some building structures that Ianto slowly started to revisit his interest in history.

One evening during a week of torrential rain that showed no signs of relief Ianto came across an open evening at the newly refurbished Electro Theatre. Jack had been interested in going, as had Gwen and Owen, but he had been called out on an emergency Weevil attack. So Ianto, Gwen and Owen had walked to the theatre as Jack took the SUV. Tosh stayed behind to cover any rift activity from the Hub.

Ianto hadn't exactly told the others what they'd be seeing at the Electro, he left it as a surprise.

Owen was very pessimistic about the whole thing, making smart comments to Gwen about the images dancing over the screen.

Image after image flicked over the screen of people going about their lives three decades ago, but the images quickly merged into scenes of carnivals and circus shows.

After several clips Owen and Gwen started taking the piss out of the show, and Ianto for bringing them to it in the first place. They were laughing so much that they missed an image they were all familiar with, Ianto more so than the others. Ianto had caught Jack's image, fleeting though it was.

"That was Jack!" exclaimed Ianto, pointing a finger up to the screen, too late for the others to see, as the images continued to race across the screen. Neither Owen nor Gwen believed him.

"You're seeing things Ianto. You're just missing Jack's handsome face! It's been all of two hours since you last clapped eyes on him," tormented Owen.

The image had been Jack, thought Ianto. A slightly difference hairstyle, minus the RAF coat but it had been Jack, pointing a gun to his own head, pulling the trigger in front of a crowd of paying punters.

The manager of the theatre was clearly not happy to see the circus acts across his screen, so he cancelled the rest of the show, but the circus images kept rolling. Ianto felt something brush past him as he stood to follow Owen and Gwen, though no one was there.

Other patrons grumbled to themselves as they left the building.

"If I'd realised we'd be watching circus acts I'd have made sure to bring some peanuts for the elephants."

"Ha Ha Owen. I'm not sure that was meant to be shown, right Ianto?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm positive I saw Jack on that screen, standing in front of an audience."

"Did someone say my name?" asked a familiar voice just as the main door of the theatre slammed shut.

"What are you doing here? I thought you had a Weevil to track down," said Owen.

"I did. Captured it without any problems, but I had a feeling I was needed here."

Jack raised one eyebrow questioningly in Ianto's direction. Ianto inclined his head, but before he could say anything Gwen answered.

"Not unless you can work old projectors properly."

"Why don't you guys wait in the SUV? I'll give you a lift back, save you walking in the rain again."

"Okay, anything to stay dry," quipped Owen.

After Gwen and Owen walked out of the building Jack turned to Ianto.

"Let's go back into the auditorium."

Ianto stayed quiet as they walked side by side until they stopped in the aisle.

"This is a nice place. The refurbishment has been done really well. I'm sorry I couldn't make it."

Ianto described what he'd seen, leaving out the part about seeing Jack for the time being.

"When the film stopped I felt something brush past me."

"What kind of thing?"

"As if someone pushed past me, but there wasn't anyone there."

"Could it have been a shadow?"

"Don't know, wasn't clear. Something else... You were up there, on the screen, large as life."

"What was I doing?" Jack enquired, though from what Ianto had described so far, Jack had a good idea already.

"You were on some sort of stage, inside a big tent. You seemed to be part of a travelling show..."

Jack sighed, "I heard it. Heard its music. Just a snatch of it."

Ianto continued to stare sightlessly up at the now blank screen.

"That film was beautiful. All those acts performing for us. Part of history trapped on film forever!"

"Their days were numbered. Cinema may have saved their images, but it finished off the travelling shows. Killed them."

Ianto slipped his hand into Jack's offering silent support.

No words were spoken, as Jack's mind recollected all the memories he possessed from his circus days. Infiltrating a band of extraordinary talented vagrants travelling the country, moving from towns to villages, entertaining people for shillings. All in the name of Torchwood!

Jack squeezed Ianto's hand quickly, a reassurance that he was okay.

"We should go speak to the owner, and the projectionist, find out what happened."

Fate pointed them in the projectionists direction first.

The youth, maybe 19 or 20 years old was in fact the son of the owner.

He seemed angry, frustrated and a little upset about all his hard work being for nothing.

He talked about how he was sure the circus acts weren't on his film reel. How he'd been unable to open the projector to stop the film, even though he knew that there was nothing faulty with the mechanism.

Ianto checked the projector over himself, which seemed to be in fine working order.

Jack was a little concerned about the night's events. He decided he'd confiscate the film reels, get Tosh to check them over in the case they had missed something.

"Grab those Ianto. We're going to head back."

As Ianto collected the articles in question Jack handed the youth his business card.

"If you see or hear anything weird or suspicious call me. No matter what time of day it is."

Receiving a call from Tosh about Rift movements, Jack and Ianto left the Electro and moved on to a street that ran parallel to Hop Street, in a flourish of blue wool tail coats.

There they found a girl, barely into womanhood, sitting in an old bus shelter made from bricks, tile and wood. She sat deathly still staring off into the distance as they approached her. She held the latest mobile phone in her hand.

"Jack I don't like this. Not one bit," said Ianto staring at the girl, so young, thinking about the life she had yet to lead, as Owen examined her.

Gwen called for an ambulance when it was found that she was still alive, though barely. The team followed her and the ambulance to the hospital.

Out of respect Gwen and Ianto stayed outside the emergency room.

"So Ianto...we never got a chance to chat after the wedding. How are things...between you and Owen and Jack?"

"Why do you ask?" said Ianto, not quite sure where this conversation topic had sprang from. A hospital wasn't exactly the ideal place to discuss something so personal.

"Just curious to see how you're getting on. You _did_ dance with Jack, not Owen at the party."

"You know Jack and I are together, more than friends, however you want to phrase it."

"What did Owen say about it? When he found out?"

This was something Jack, Owen and Ianto had never discussed openly with the girls. It had just seemed easier to let them think what they would. As Toshiko knew Ianto well, she had never questioned what had happened. But as Gwen had nothing to think about, all her organising of wedding plans forgotten now the event was over, she had started to take an interest in other people's lives again.

Ianto wasn't in the mood to play nice, or soften any truths so he came clean, not really caring how it would look on any of them for their less than conventional relationships.

"Owen suggested it! Owen was the person who wanted me to be with Jack. He couldn't be with me anymore, because he has no heartbeat, no breath, and he's dead. I was given the choice, the option to get to know Jack or be alone. And with Owen's blessing I chose to speak to Jack, to eat dinner with Jack, to get to know Jack. That included dancing with Jack at your wedding. I'm sorry you thought I wanted to dance with you, but that's the way it goes."

"Ianto...I didn't realise. I-I had no idea, hadn't even given it a thought-"

"No! Because you were so consumed with you! Your wedding! Your life! But we all have some semblance of a life and this is mine."

"OUT OF THE WAY! COMING THROUGH!" came a shout from a nurse as she wheeled another victim into the private bay.

Ianto shot a look at Gwen, ending their conversation and warning her not to bring it up again.

Back at the Hub the whole team insisted on sitting down to view the film reels. Gwen even got the popcorn she'd wanted so much earlier in the night.

Ianto searched the Archives to find a home projector he knew was in storage down there.

Once Toshiko had set it up, everyone sat back to watch the jugglers, clowns and acrobats on screen, in an area located just behind Jack's office.

After viewing a particularly energetic juggling pair, Jack said, "I knew those two. They argued day and night."

Unexpectedly to everyone except Jack and Ianto Jack's immortality act came on screen and Owen exclaimed, "That is you!"

Jack ducked his head partly in shame, partly in embarrassment, while Tosh rewound the reel quickly so they could watch Jack again.

"Right, now I've seen everything," complained Owen.

"Told you so!" said Ianto cheekily, glad he was at last proved right.

"You did stand up?" asked Gwen, looking away from the screen towards Jack, her eyes open wide with silent questions.

"I never did stand up," stated Jack, a little affronted she'd said that.

"Okay then, a song and dance," rumbled Gwen in a rubbish American accent.

"I was sensational," answered Jack comically copying Gwen's rubbish American accent.

"I don't believe this Jack. What were you doing there?" asked Tosh.

"He's part of this freak show," said Owen smarmily.

"Oh, some things never change," Jack sniped.

"You being rude about me?" questioned Owen with a smile.

Jack raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in a 'what do you think' gesture.

"Look at the state of 'em."

"But I do love his leotard," crooned Gwen in a deep seductive voice.

"The night travellers!" said Jack as recollection hit him. He knew who those people were.

"The what?"

"Tosh. Play that back...so they did exist."

"Did you work with these people?"

"No, I didn't work with them. I never knew anyone that did. They only performed in the dead of night. Anyway it was just a tale that was around at that time. Ah, a ghost story. They came from out of the rain. That's how people described them."

"Jack. What did these night travellers do?"

"Left a trail of damage and sorrow wherever they performed."

With that Jack walked out.

Ianto didn't follow him, instead he spent time intensely viewing the footage over and over again. He was convinced something was missing.

"That's it! I knew something wasn't quite right! Jack! Come look at this!"

Gathering everyone back to their places Tosh rewound the film reel again, stopping only when indicated by Ianto.

Ianto point out the discrepancy between this film and the one they had seen in the theatre, even though they were one and the same.

After careful perusal the others figured out, with Ianto's help, that two people from the original film were missing. A middle aged man who wore a handlebar moustache and usually conducted the acts for the crowd- the ring master. A woman, early 20's in a silvery swimming costume, who looked like she belonged in the water tank she stood in front of.

Both images had mysteriously vanished from the film reel, and no one could come up with a logical, reasonable explanation as to how it had happened.

"So what are we saying? That two people from a piece of film have decided to go AWOL?" said Toshiko incredulously.

Jack nodded as he caught Ianto's eye, "Yeah. Like you said – trapped in film forever. When they opened the cinema, it gave them a chance. When that kid ran the film, he let them loose."

"So they've become physical? They've escaped the film?"

'Why does nothing normal happen here?' thought Ianto with a slight smile.

"We need to find out more about the havoc they caused in the past. We need evidence. Possible witnesses."

Ianto took out his small notepad and jotted a couple of things down, still keeping an ear on the flowing discussion.

Owen and Gwen opted to search town and parish records from the past, try to find places the night travellers had been, and events that had coincided with their visits, along with disappearances and deaths around the same time.

"As far back as you can. We don't sleep till we find them. Toshiko, keep checking for sightings. There's got to be a way of tracing them. Ianto, with me, I need your local knowledge."

"Oh, is that what you're calling it these days?" said Gwen with a laugh as she headed with Owen to the Archives.

Jack strolled away to the conference room leaving Ianto to follow him. Once they were sat together, ensconced away from prying eyes and ears Ianto spoke.

"So two people who should've been dead for years...What kind of creatures are they?"

"No one ever knew the night travellers were coming. They just appeared from nowhere...What was that about?" asked Jack, changing the focus of the conversation as quick as a flash.

"What?" Ianto feigned innocence, he really didn't want to discuss what he'd told Gwen, not when they had so much to do.

"That comment! What did she mean?" Jack used a threatening tone. He didn't like it when one of his team made a comment and he couldn't relate it to something that had happened.

Ianto risked a look at Jack as they sat looking up at a map of the city. Jack glared at Ianto, waiting for an answer.

"You know we won't discuss anything further about the case until you tell me what's going on. Why did Gwen say that?"

Ianto cast his eyes downwards, realising that he didn't really have much of an option.

"She asked me some questions earlier, at the hospital, about me and you and Owen. They weren't nice questions."

"Not nice how?"

Ianto blushed but continued.

"She wanted to know how things were between Owen and the two of us. She said she was curious to see how we were getting on, especially since I made the move to dance with you at her wedding. She didn't mention our stay at the hotel."

"I hope you told her where to go!"

Ianto flushed a bright red colour and said nothing. His silence was the only answer Jack needed.

"Oh Ianto! I thought we'd decided to keep this between the two of us? Not to tell Gwen or Tosh?"

"I wasn't in the mood to play her games, Jack. After all the rubbish she said tonight, I just came out with it."

"What exactly did you say?"

"I told her the truth. It was Owen's idea. That I chose to get to know you better, which included the dance. That was it. Well...I might have pushed home to her that all she's thought about over the last six months is herself. She hasn't seen what's been going on around her."

Jack sighed and moved his head so he could stare at the screen.

"What was she like after you told her that?"

But before Ianto could form an answer they received word that another victim had been admitted to hospital.

Jack rubbed one hand over his face, trying to wipe away the fatigue he'd been feeling of late and possibly to wipe away the image he had in his head of Gwen's face when they had left the hospital. Slight shock at Ianto talking back to her, and a knowing look in her eyes that he hadn't thought twice about until now.

"I'm sorry Jack."

Jack sighed again, loud and long. He rotated his chair around to face Ianto, pulling himself closer to Ianto's chair.

"They were going to find out eventually. Glad you didn't let her get off lightly, with the comments she made."

Jack smiled at Ianto and moved his chair away from the table, gesturing for him to sit in his lap. Hesitantly, with a shy smile Ianto left his own chair, manoeuvring himself to sit across Jack's thighs. Ianto kept his hands to himself until Jack moved his arms around his own neck, linking them just below his nape. Jack moved his arms to envelop Ianto, placing his hands purposely at the tops of Ianto's buttocks.

"This means that I can kiss you at work."

"But what about the deal we made with Owen?"

"As long as Owen isn't around, I think we're safe. That okay?"

"I like the sound of that!"

Using his linked hands, Ianto pulled himself closer to Jack, angling his head, perfectly fitting their lips together. Passion flowed unchecked between them, Jack diligent enough to keep his hands where they were, unmoving.

Jack took one more minute out in the paradise of Ianto's touch, before he broke the kiss off, and leaned his head back against the chair.

"We should do that more often, but as nice as this interlude has been, we need to get back to work," said Ianto, with a slight breathlessness to his voice. He placed his head down on Jack's chest for a second before making an effort to move.

Ianto unlinked his hands and stood, placing himself delicately back into his own chair.

They put their work heads on and got back to what they were supposed to be doing.

They spent hours, working through the night as more victims piled up at the hands of the Night Travellers. Working with Jonathan, the teenager whose parents owned the Electro, they formulated a plan and set to work getting the last breaths of the victims back.

Filming the Night Travellers on a film camera and exposing the film to light destroyed them, but there was one – the Ghost Maker who fought Ianto for the silver flask. Uncaring if people died the Ghost Maker uncorked the flask, and in a desperate attempt to escape threw the flask into the air. Metal end span over metal end, in a flash of silver. With each revolution the metal container made, one more soul was lost to the atmosphere. As gravity took effect, the flask descended quickly, forcing Ianto, who had slight concussion from the fall he had taken at the hands of the Ghost Maker in their struggle, to move swiftly to be in the right place to catch the object. Ianto just managed to get his hands cupped as the flask landed in his hands. Quick as a shot, Ianto moved one hand over the open end of the flask to save any remaining souls inside.

Holding the flask up to his ear Ianto strained to listen for any sounds emitted from inside the object.

"One! I think we saved just one."

Jack had trailed in behind Ianto a mere 30 seconds after the flask was thrown into the air.

"I hear it, Jack."

Gently, so as not to let the last breath escape the flask, Gwen, Jack and Ianto maneuvered to put the cap back on the neck of the bottle.

"I heard it. Something inside calling out to me."

"Okay," replied Jack wondering why Ianto was so emotional about this. They had saved one person, which was more than they normally ended up doing.

As Gwen stepped away from them, Jack softly placed the flask and its content into the folds of his jacket.

"So we managed to save one. But which one?"

Gwen made her own way back to the Hub, leaving Jack and Ianto to deal with the unknown survivor. As Jack was unhappy with her anyway, for putting Ianto on the spot with those personal questions earlier, the longer she kept her distance from him, the better it would be.

They went to the hospital, walking up to the ward that held the Night Travellers victims. They were greeted by a nurse who informed them that indeed only one person had survived.

"There was nothing we could do. They all died so suddenly. Except this poor soul," she said just before she pushed open a door to the room the children had been kept in. Only the young boy remained there.

"I suppose he'll be next to go."

Jack stepped up to the bed and felt the little boy's pulse, leaning in close to feel for any signs of breathing. The nurse started to become a little alarmed by this.

"What are you doing?"

"I need your help," replied Jack, pulling the flask from his jacket pocket, and settling himself on the side of the bed.

The nurse questioned what the flask was. She was unsure what to do. She knew that they were Torchwood, but that didn't give them the right to harm a young, unconscious boy.

Sensing he may find some trouble with this nurse Jack asked for her help. He pulled the young body's limp form into his lap, asking the nurse to hold his head. Once secure Jack took the flask and uncapped it. Using his thumb over the bottle of the flask, to stop anything escaping, he tipped the flask against the boy's lips**. **A white wisp of breath floated out of the flask into the boy's mouth. It only took a split second, and the boy came alive in Jack's arms, coughing and gasping for air.

"What have you done to him?" said the nurse startled by what she had just witnessed.

All the time Jack had been giving the young child back his life, Ianto had stood at the end of the bed, at a loss of what to do. As he stood there watching Jack, Ianto felt the emotions and troubles of today wash over him. His eyes started to flood with tears. His mind went back into his past, staring blindly.

He let the tears spill over onto his cheeks as he celebrated the life of one child, and his head mourned the death of another.

"It worked."

Jack and Ianto left the scene at the hospital. The little boy was alive and safe, though he had no family left alive, so Social Services would have to have a hand in his care. He was 6 years old. Jack made a mental note to keep tabs on the boy over the next few years. Ensure that he was being taken care of properly.

Jack had seen the far off look in Ianto's eyes since the boy had been resuscitated. He'd noted the tears that had run down his face, but was suspicious that they were not because of today.

They got into the SUV and buckled up, but Jack didn't start the vehicle immediately. Ianto had tilted his head back on the passenger head rest, eyes closed, breathing softly. He still hadn't wiped the tear stains from his cheeks.

Jack turned in his seat, so he could look at Ianto, then spoke.

"What happened in there?" he asked in the quiet of the vehicle.

Ianto took a deep breath but remained quiet. Frustration in Ianto's inability to answer caused Jack to screw up his eyes and furrow his brow.

Slowly Ianto's eyes opened, taking in the lack of movement in the vehicle and the darkness that surrounded them outside. He experimentally rolled his head to one side to look at Jack.

"I had a brother."

"Okay."

"He was 7. I was 10. Rhiannon was 15. One day James and I were outside playing near a lake. It was the dead of winter, the lake was frozen over. Every year we played in the same place. We were pretending to be fishermen, or water space men. Dad told us not to go out that day, but I insisted that the game couldn't wait, so while he was out at the pub, James and I went outside. Rhiannon was in her room reading a magazine at the time I think.

We went out onto the ice, but we must have gone a little too far out, or the ice had melted more than usual, but before I knew it James was gone. He'd slipped on the wet surface and fallen through the ice floor. He didn't come back to the surface. I tried to get to him. I lay on the ice and fished my hands through the water. I shouted for Rhi to come, but she couldn't hear me. I don't know how long I stayed there trying to get him out, but eventually I became exhausted and tired, so ran home."

Ianto took a fortifying breath before he continued. Jack remained quiet. He was shocked that Ianto had endured more death in his life that Jack knew about.

"The minute I walked into the kitchen, Rhi knew that something was wrong. I'd shouted for her for so long that I could barely speak. I stuttered and cried when I told her, and she rushed out of the house. She almost jumped in to save him, but it was too late.

When the lake finally thawed out they found his body. Just as it had been before he'd fallen in. The water had been so cold that it preserved him. From that day on my father never trusted me with anything, and he never forgave me. Barely spoke to me. He never raised a hand to me."

Then Ianto was quiet, the only sound in the vehicle was his hair scrapping along the fabric of the head rest as he rotated his head back towards the ceiling.

Jack didn't know what to say to Ianto. Nothing he could utter would make the pain any better, or the memories fade any quicker.

"You know it wasn't your fault that the ice was too thin?"

"If I'd have listened to Dad, then James would be here. But I managed to save that little boy today. He lived because I managed to stop his last breath disappearing out of the bottle, like a genie."

"Saving one boy won't make up for all the loss that has happened to you. You could save everyone on the planet and that feeling wouldn't go away. Is that why you came to Torchwood in the first place?"

"I went to Torchwood London because it was a good job in the beginning, but we never saved anyone, just coveted alien technology that came to Earth. Being here, in Cardiff, let me try to help Lisa. And I did for a while, but she was beyond my help. Owen made me see that, but every day I try to help someone to lessen the pain. I've been doing it for such a long time that I don't even know I'm doing it anymore. Second nature. I really didn't know what to do to help that little boy, but I did save him."

"You did save him Ianto. Because of you he is alive! You have to learn to forgive yourself at some point. Life is too short to hold on to things like that for the rest of your life. It takes up too much energy to have something like that in your head, especially for such a long time. We can talk more about this if you want? Whenever you feel sad, or down, or just because you want to talk. We can talk about anything whenever you feel like it, alright?"

"Thank you."

"Does Owen know this?" asked Jack, wondering why Owen had never tried to get Ianto any help.

"No. Only Rhi knows about it now, and you. That's the way it should be. I don't want everyone to know that I killed my brother."

"No one will ever know, unless you say otherwise that your brother had an accident that you had not control over. Understood?"

"Can we go home now?"

"Of course we can."

Intuition had Jack take Ianto's hand and squeeze it. He felt that Ianto didn't want any further physical contact, or he would really break down. So Jack held his hand tightly for a minute, then released it and put the SUV into gear before directing them back to the Hub.

Tonight they would talk some more, in a place where Ianto wouldn't have to hide from people, because he thought he was a murderer. Tonight they would sit or lie, holding hands or cuddling while Jack asked Ianto questions and Ianto tried his hardest to answer them. The answers would eventually help Ianto to heal, and realise that even if he hadn't gotten his brother out on the icy lake that day, that something worst could have happened to him. That most things were out of the control of the individual involved.


	16. Fragments

16 – Fragments

Jack spent the next three months helping counsel Ianto, when they had time. It wasn't like Ianto sat in a lounge chair every night and spilled his heart for an hour. It was a gradual thing. Slowly Jack made Ianto come to the realisation that he didn't need to be paying for one unfortunate incident for the rest of his life.

Some of the most telling ways Ianto continued to unknowingly redeem himself was in his every day duties at Torchwood and his OCD ways.

It turned out that Ianto's father had banned him for over a year from going outside. He was allowed to go to school, but his father did not allowed him to have friends outside of school hours, as a punishment.

To fill the time he spent indoors, Ianto started to develop a cleaning habit. He cleaned so well that whenever the hovering or washing up hadn't been done when his Dad came home, his Dad would shout at him and lock him in a cupboard for an hour, then make him do the work anyway.

Ianto endured this mental and emotional abuse for 3 years before his sister reported his father to Social Services. His father was investigated and jailed for 15 years, before later dying of cancer. Social Services delivered Ianto to a beautiful foster home, with a rich family who wanted nothing more than to love him. They tried to show him the love they thought he needed, but he shut himself off from the world and used their extensive house to feed his OCD habits. The family gently persuaded him to start going outside after attending the private school they enrolled him in.

They eventually made a lot of progress with Ianto's recovery from his father's brutal treatment. He grew into a reasonably well adjusted child, on the outside.

When he reached the age of 18 Ianto moved away from his foster home. Away from his sister who visited him regularly once a week, and away from the old house he lived in, near the lake.

Meeting Lisa in London and gaining employment at Torchwood helped to occupy Ianto's mind, and his OCD habits became barely noticeable. He was happy with his lot in life. His foster family made sure that no matter where he went, he would be able to adequately take care of himself with the money from a trust fund they set up for him.

Things down-spiralled out of control again when Lisa was caught in the attack on Torchwood by the Cybermen, and partially converted into a mechanical animal. His desperation to save her had sent him back to the home he once knew. Back to Cardiff to try to help his first love, with the help of Torchwood Cardiff. His foster family had died during his time in London, and because they hadn't had any children of their own, or living relatives they left their house to him. He moved himself and Lisa into the huge, spacious house by the lake in order to try to take care of her.

That was when he used his OCD nature to his advantage. Every day he would surf the internet, sifting through forums, myths and legends and generally inaccurate information for a way to save Lisa. Using his Torchwood knowledge he tracked down the leader of Torchwood Cardiff with a plan.

Ianto had used his surveillance knowledge, equipment and techniques to stalk one Captain Jack Harkness, leader of Torchwood Cardiff.

He'd needed the perfect opportunity to come into contact with the Captain. Darkness was always better, added an air of mystery to any impromptu introduction. Ianto had to orchestrate the right environment.

From the back of his car, Ianto built up a pattern of the Captain's daily behaviour and habits. Hardworking, did the majority of his work at night; Weevil capture, long drives to the middle of nowhere, secret meetings in back alleys and corners of dingy night clubs.

Ianto kept track of him, wherever Jack went. Evening work suited Ianto because it became easy to sedate Lisa in her current position and do all he needed to do.

One evening, around midnight on a particularly cold autumn night was the eventual meeting place for Harkness and Jones. Ianto silently praised the Captain for creating the ideal meeting, with small help from a testosterone fuelled Weevil – Weevils were pushed over the edge of sanity with testosterone boosts.

Alone Jack fought to capture the Weevil, but it had the upper hand. From the trees he'd hidden behind in the park, Ianto helped the Captain subdue the creature. The Captain had also saved Ianto's life from the creature.

"Thanks," said Ianto, a little shaky with adrenaline and nervous to be meeting the Captain face to face.

"No, thank you. And you are?"

"Jones, Ianto Jones."

"Nice to meet you Jones, Ianto Jones. Captain Jack Harkness."

"Lucky escape."

"I had it under control."

"You think so? Looked pretty vicious. You...erm-ah...You were bleeding."

"Had worse from shaving."

"Looked like a Weevil to me."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'll take it from here. Thanks for the assistance."

"Anytime. By the way...Love the coat."

"Morning. Coffee?" said Ianto, handing Jack a cup of coffee. Jack was annoyed and intrigued by the young man at their second meeting. After putting the Weevil in the cells for the night, Jack had felt the need to research Jones, Ianto Jones, partly because of the knowledge he possessed about Weevils, and partly for his own curiosity. Jack was also interested to know where the young man kept the flask that held the coffee, because it was piping hot, and he couldn't see a container anywhere.

"Wow," said Jack, on tasting the first rate coffee. Jack was sure that Ianto Jones wouldn't have poisoned it, because there wasn't any indication of it in his history.

"I want to work for you," Ianto stated with force. Although he didn't want to seem too pushy, Ianto was anxious to make an impression on the Captain that would result in employment.

"Sorry. No vacancies."

"Look. Let me tell you about myself-," persistent little bugger, thought Jack. Jack was beginning to realise that last night's meeting held more than meets the eye.

"Ianto Jones, born August 19, 1983. Able student, but not exceptional. One minor conviction for shoplifting in your teens. Number of temporary jobs; mainly a drifter until two years ago when you joined the Torchwood Institute in London. Junior Researcher. Girlfriend, Lisa Hallett."

"Deceased."

"Sorry."

"Look. You checked me out."

"You knew what a Weevil was. Thought I was going to have to come...deal with you."

"But instead you could see I had the right qualifications for the job."

"There is no job. We're nothing to do with Torchwood London. I severed all links."

"When it burnt, two members of your team scavenged the ruins."

"We didn't want the equipment getting into the wrong hands."

"And you're the right hands are you?" Ianto thought quickly, "Trial period...Three months."

"No."

"Three weeks. Three days. Let me prove myself to you. I'll work for nothing."

"No," Jack was determined not to get sucked into whatever sob story this man was going to aim his way.

"I saw what they did at Canary Wharf. What am I supposed to do with those memories?"

"You're not my responsibility. And we're not hiring."

"Same time tomorrow then."

"There is no job for you here, and there never will be."

"I really like that coat!"

"Okay, this has to stop!" shouted Jack against the rain that had relentlessly poured from the sky for the last 4 hours. He was tired, angry at the situation he had to deal with, and pissed off because Ianto Jones was stalking him. Their first meeting was nice, the second had a great coffee surprise, but the third was just irritating.

"No listen to me."

"I don't have time for this. Look I don't care what your problem is. I want you out of this city by sunrise. There is no place for you here. Go back to London. Find yourself another life. Keep stalking me, I'll wipe your memory."

"No but the thing is-"

"Look any conversation between us, no matter what the subject is over, finished, done. Forever. I'm getting back behind the wheel of that car. If you're still standing in the road? I'm gonna drive through you."

"So you're not going to help me catch this pterodactyl then?"

So astonishment and intrigue caught Jack again, and he, with Ianto's help safely captured and transported the pterodactyl to the Hub. In the process Jack offered Ianto a job, and that's how Jack's attraction with Ianto had started.

Ianto was clever at first when he moved Lisa into the Hub. He'd researched all the plans for the building to find the most secure and easily accessible room for him to store her in. He worked hard for Jack and the rest of the team, and fitted in so well, that he became almost invisible to them. He did all the administration and the upkeep of the building, including cleaning, and everyone, including Jack was happy with his work. They never had a bad word to say about him, but that was because they barely knew him enough to talk about him.

It seemed that once Ianto had established himself into Torchwood Cardiff, he worked hard to be unnoticeable, which he succeeded at.

The house by the lake became empty, and Ianto stopped living there, employing a caretaker to oversee the maintenance of the house. Unbeknownst to everyone, Ianto had cleaned up a room for himself in the bowels of the Hub, and stayed there every night. He was able to spend more time with Lisa that way, even though she was sedated for the majority of the day.

Ianto was never asked to do any field work, which suited him, and when the others went out on a call, he would research people to help him with Lisa's condition, and attempt to use some of the Archive pieces of alien technology to ease her suffering.

Finally in the end, he was found out, and it had taken over 18 months for him to forget every modicum of guilt, thanks to Jack's ability to listen and help him deal with his feelings.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

One morning, in the present, the team received a call to an abandoned warehouse, that was believed to have some form of alien being/technology, but they had no specific information. Searching the building put into motion a turn of events that put them in the most danger they had ever faced before. Leaving doubt as to who would survive.

Each detonation sounded with a timer beep before it exploded, obliterating bricks, mortar, glass and wood in its path. The building came down around each individual trapped there, burying them under the wreckage.

Pain wracked his body. Ianto was trapped under a weight of bricks. He breathed in but coughed as he inhaled brick dust. Luckily nothing had landed on his head, that would cause concussion, but he'd fallen awkwardly and dislocated his shoulder, which was still out of its socket. He tried to move his legs, but they were buried beneath the rubble. He felt the edge of a brick dig into his left calf, and knew that he had no spinal injury because his legs were causing him pain. Lips and skin that weren't covered with clothing were white and dry, on the verge of cracking; the dust having sucked the moisture from his skin.

Ianto was able to reach his uninjured arm out in front of him in an attempt to pull himself from the debris. His fingernails snagged on the concrete of the floor as he tried to drag his whole body weight forward. He knocked his shoulder on a stone and cried out in pain. The agony caused his head to swim with sensation and a deep throbbing came from his shoulder.

Ianto was unwilling to let panic enter his head at his situation. He used the pain to spur him on, give him strength to work on freeing himself. Unsure if any of his friends or lover were still alive, Ianto shouted out his anguish and pain whenever the need struck him. He might have passed out from the intensity of his pain once, but continued his work of escaping, refusing to accept that no one was going to help save him. If no one else, Jack would come for him. He may die 100 times before he freed himself from the ruins of the warehouse, but he would come eventually. His thoughts fell to Owen and Tosh and the predicaments they might have found themselves in after the explosions.

Reinforcements arrived in the form of Gwen and Jack. Gwen should have been here in the beginning, God knows where she had been hiding. Then again, if she had come with them, then she would probably have ended up the same way, and there would have been no rescue. Gwen stayed back while Jack rushed over to him, concerned, upset, and recently recovered from a death. It took all of Jack's strength to haul Ianto out of the debris.

"You okay?" ascertained Jack, desperate to pull him into his arms, but knowing that they weren't alone, or had the time.

"My shoulder. I think it's dislocated," Ianto tried to maintain an even tone as he spoke, unwilling to let the pain overwhelm him.

"Can you take this?" asked Jack, knowing the only way for him to help Ianto was to relocate the joint.

"Yeah," Ianto replied with bravado.

"Take a deep breath."

Jack traction-ed his shoulder, giving it a sharp tug, and the head of the humerus slide quickly back into its socket.

Ianto's scream was very manly, but nevertheless showed him to be not as able to take pain as he thought.

"Where are the others?" Pleased that he had been rescued, Ianto's thoughts turned to his friends.

"We need you to help to get Toshiko out."

"Owen?" Ianto was concerned that Owen could already be dead, or buried so deep that any rescue would only prolong his suffering in a body that would never heal.

"No sign yet."

"If anything happens he can't repair himself." Ianto reminded Gwen.

"Oh of course, he can't heal can he?"

"Okay, we'll help Rhys with Toshiko, let us know when you find Owen. And be careful!"

"Okay."

"Okay?" asked Jack, his tone quiet and humming with concern, once Gwen had disappeared "Alright?"

"I've been better. What the hell happened back there? Why were there bombs in here?"

"That's not something I can answer Ianto."

"I knew you'd come for me."

"Good! You should know that I will always be there for you when you need me. Always," Jack emphasised his words with a brutal kiss to Ianto's split lips, "Let's go get Toshiko."

And so Jack helped Ianto climb over debris.

Toshiko was being crushed by a metal girder that had fallen. They were unable to ascertain what other injuries she had, but that would have to wait until after they released her. Ianto squeezed her hand in supporting reassurance before he helped Jack and Rhys raise the girder. Jack was closest to Tosh, and when there was enough room to manoeuvre her he pulled her arm, and slid her out.

Ianto helped support her as they walked out of the damaged building, and with his basic medical training was able to diagnose a broken arm and bruised ribs.

Jack's wrist strap beeped, just as it had all those months ago in a Cardiff back street. Ianto despaired of the sound, because there was only one person who had ever transmitted through it.

"Oh, deja vu! Or did I say that already? Hey, team. Course, there might be a few less of you by now. Don't know if you liked my little gift. Course, you can't die. And with all that life, all that time, you can't spare any for me. Oh! Say hi to the family."

"No...it can't be."

"Been a while since you've seen your brother, eh, Jack?"

"Gray?"

"OK, here's what's going to happen. Everything you love, everything you treasure, will die. I'm going to tear your world apart, Captain Jack Harkness, piece by piece. Starting now. Maybe now you'll wanna spend some time with me."


	17. Exit Wounds

Author Note - Evening all. You have no idea how hard this chapter has been to finish. The majority has been written for about 10 months, but the end has been a long time in sorting itself up! Anyway, I hope it lives up to expectations, and that you enjoy it. If there are any spelling mistakes, I humbly apologise.

Chapter 17 – Exit Wounds

Fear struck into the hearts of both Ianto and Jack simultaneously, for different reasons. Ianto knew that Captain John Hart was going to cause no end of trouble for Jack and himself, especially since their last meeting had been such a riot. Not! Jack feared for the life of the brother he'd abandoned, that he'd not seen in centuries, and was now being held by John.

As the blue hologram winked out of existence everyone moved into action.

"Bastard John's taken our SUV," grunted Owen, still shocked over his third near death experience.

"Looks like he's driven it back to Torchwood," stated Ianto stoically.

"I'm getting readings of rift activity all over the city. Major rift flares at St Helen's Hospital, the Police Headquarters and the Central IT Server Station," said Tosh, struggling to hold her rift monitor between her injured and uninjured hands.

A mobile phone rang from the pocket of Gwen's jeans, "Hey, Andy." Gwen walked a little away from the group listening intently as Andy pleaded for Gwen's help.

"This is him, isn't it? This Captain John, or whatever he likes to call himself," as she added two and two together, the incident that had almost wiped her friends out, and Andy's call from Police Headquarters.

"Rhys, drop Owen at the hospital. Tosh, Ianto cover the central server building. Gwen, the police station. Then take me to Torchwood."

"You think we're all gonna fit in here?" Rhys asked, still in shock after seeing Jack bring himself back to life, and the utter devastation of the warehouse.

"Yeah, we're gonna have to," Jack replied with a wink.

"Jack. These are traps," said Tosh.

"So be careful. You know what he's capable of."

"What about you?" said Gwen demandingly.

"I'm gonna go reason with him."

"He just tried to kill us," stated Owen, angry that such a quiet morning had turned into utter shambles and near death. If only Jack had never met John in the first place, then none of them would be in this situation. Owen also held some concern over Jack's relationship with John, and Ianto. Ianto was a threat to John, and John wouldn't hesitate to destroy Ianto in order to get Jack back by his side.

"I was the only one who could ever control him. That's why the Time Agency partnered us."

"Why's he doing this Jack? What does he want?" asked Owen cautiously. Ianto had almost voiced the same question, but quietly sat squashed in the back of Rhys' car, listening for a response.

"That's what I'm going to go ask."

Ianto kept his silence until he and Tosh were being dropped off at the server building. Jack got out to say goodbye.

"You never said you had a brother Jack."

"We don't have time to discussion this Ianto, not now. We can talk about it after all this is over."

"Please don't go to John, Jack. You have no idea what he has waiting for you. If you know it's a trap, then how are you going to stop it?"

"I know John, Ianto. He has my brother, and I need to save him. This is the only way for me to do that. I once let my brother down, badly, and this is a small way to pay him back. You'd better go."

Ianto grabbed Jack by the arm when he tried to walk away.

"Stay safe. Don't put yourself in unneeded danger."

"Owen, you're going to want to stop looking at us now. I'm about to break the PDA rule, massively," shouted Jack before his lips zeroed onto Ianto's. His arm pulled them together, kneading the flesh under his hand. The kiss wasn't soft, or gentle, and after several minutes they heard a coughing sound, from Tosh.

"Release him Harkness, we've got places to be!" but inside Owen was slightly pleased Jack was showing such possessiveness over Ianto, and Ianto was more than happy to go along with it.

"You two look out for each other. And don't get into trouble!" said Jack before he stomped back to Rhys' car, and it drove away from the kerb.

'I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper' was blaring from the internal com systems of the Hub, as Jack unlocked the main hub door and it rolled open. The sound of the door alarm could just be heard over the music, but Jack wasn't interested. The main focus of his interest stood on the overhang above the cog door. John stood there, unchanged waving a grubby white scarf over his head, like a football fan chanting for his team to win. John wore a manic grin spread wide over his face as he sang along to the song.

"Come on! Sing along! It's our song!"

"We don't have a song. And if we did have a song, it wouldn't be **this** song," replied Jack angrily.

"You're no fun!" shouted John, dropping the scarf and pouting his lips. Using his wrist strap he flicked a button and the music stopped.

"I've been here quite a while. What kept you?" John asked questioningly as he walked down the stairs. There was something in John's voice that made John hesitant to continue this conversation, but John was moving towards him and there was nothing Jack could do to stop it, so he blustered on.

"We all survived! You know, if you're gonna set an explosion, you need to be more efficient."

"Oh, them," John muttered whimsically, "they were just prototypes, had to test out a theory. How are they all, the little team?"

"What do you want?" Jack was getting angry, listening to John's speech about his friends and lover. They were human, and didn't deserve such resentment and hardship because one person wanted to spend time with him.

"I want you to know that I love you," John turned his back to Jack. Jack wasn't sure why, but was soon to find out. Love was the last thing Jack would equate to John's feelings towards him, after all the trouble he'd caused them. Someone in love with you shouldn't try to kill their friends.

"Funny way of showing it," Jack retorted.

"No, seriously! You have to understand. I really do love you."

John swung around holding a machine gun in each hand. His finger hesitated on the triggers for a millisecond before he was forced to shoot the hell out of Jack. Jack felt each individual metal bullet pierce his flesh, until blood loss and a bullet to the neck made him fall off the walkway into the residual water at the base of the water didn't hear John's final sentence, "Because this... is gonna get nasty."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto's mind went with Jack after the passionate kiss they shared. He couldn't get pictures of Jack walking into a trap out of his head. He was unable to stop imagining different scenarios in which Jack died.

Tosh noticed Ianto's far off stare as they rode the elevator to the main server floor in the building.

"Jack's going to be fine, Ianto."

"I know. I just can't help wondering what John's got in store for him. He's wanted revenge since we first met him, and now he knows Jack can't die, I think he'll move to torture."

The elevator doors pinged open and they both focused on the task at hand, which turned out to be some form of evil priest.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack's consciousness floated around somewhere above his head. Distantly he speculated that he was returning from being killed. Jack always hated this part of his return. He never wanted to come back, much preferring it if he never came back, but due to Rose's determination and help from Tardis energy, Jack would always return from the dead. Even if his body was chopped into pieces or drained of all blood. In recent months the time Jack spent hovering in the clouds, so to speak, was less because Jack wanted to come back for Ianto, and most of the time he was lulled back by Ianto's body warmth and soft pleading voice.

Today Jack didn't hear Ianto, or feel his body warm his own. Ianto's familiar scent didn't surround him either, which was odd. Jack was sucked back into the living world faster than normal, to be confronted by cold metal around his wrists and ankles, his body encased in damp clothing. When able, Jack pulled his arms and legs, causing the metal chains to clink. Swivelling his head from one direction to the other, Jack saw he was chained up to the wall of the hub, shackled, his arms stretched in a Y shape over his head. Frustrated with himself for letting this happen, especially when his team had warned him, Jack shouted out, tugging on the chains again.

"Comms and weapons have been removed, in case you're wondering, so no chance of rescue."

"This is a little extreme, don't you think?"

"Oh, what? Suddenly you're anti bondage?" Jack growled in response. He was not amused with John's attempt to bring up their past, especially as it was a poor joke.

"Why are you here?"

"Well, see... Now you're interested in me. It's always the same, nobody cares until you tie them up. Number of reasons, actually. First of all, you were very rude to me."

"What?"

"Very rude indeed. In front of people who barely knew me. You belittled me. Can't let that go."

"You're serious?"

"Second - you have all of time. Eternity, essentially. And you still refused to spend time with me. After all we've been through together, after all I've done for you."

"Where's Gray? What've you done with my brother?"

John was a little startled by the despair in Jack's voice. John was speechless that Jack wasn't able to see that he wasn't really in control here. Couldn't Jack see that John would never hold his brother over him as leeway just to get back in Jack's good books?

"You don't realise. Actions, ramifications, ripples in the pond. It's beyond my control." John babbled.

"Beyond your control? Please!"

"It is. You need to understand that! So, localise the rift storms, a few short sharp shocks..."

"Don't touch those controls!" screamed Jack, mostly in fear of his situation and the thought of the trouble it had caused him the last time someone had desperately wanted to change the present.

"Oi, I'm working here!" Jack shivered. John was out of control, and Jack was scared for himself and the others. Jack wished he could have hidden Ianto away safely, away from all this craziness.

Jack cried out at a buzzing noise, followed by a sudden jolt of an electrical had shackled his wrists with two mini electric chair devices. The jolts were not enough to kill him, but enough to give him one hell of a shock surging through his body. It stopped his heart if the jolt was over 10 seconds long.

"If you don't want that again, keep quiet," John sounded distracted as there was no umph behind his words.

"No."

"So, I think we're ready to find a vantage point. Bit more power." Strangely John seemed to know what he was doing, as he plugged a cable into its slot on the rift manipulator, activating it.

"Hey!" No! What could John possibly need with the rift manipulator? He had his wrist strap, that should be all that was required for him to go anywhere and do anything. Why would he need additional power and energy from the manipulator?

"And we're all set. "

"Whatever you're planning, we're gonna stop you."

"Oh. OK. Go on, then. Stop me. I hope you can, really," Jack struggled against his chains helplessly, "No? All right, let's go get ourselves a good view."

John let Jack down from his shackles, pressing his wrist strap, transporting them to the top of Cardiff Castle. Jack tried to escape, but he was drained by the electrical shock from earlier. He tried to shove John over the wall, but he tripped over his own feet. Struggling to get his breath back Jack shouted.

"What the hell are we doing here?"

"This is a good view." Jack tried to go for John again, but John was faster this time and zapped Jack again.

"I told you, no struggling."

"I can make things right with you," Jack shouted. He was desperate to try to stop John from whatever he had planned.

"You don't understand. You can't ever make this right."

The second electric shock caused unconsciousness, but he caught the gist of the hell John was about to put his friends through

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

John's message came loud and clear through the comms they all wore. Ianto's heart kicked into his mouth at the playfully harsh words entering his ear. He heard Gwen demand information about Jack, and John's sarcasm, then his warning to them all.

"No, no, wrong question. You should be asking, what am I about to do to you?"

"Put Jack on right now!" commanded Ianto in the best voice he could muster, tainted with fear for Jack's safety.

"Eye Candy! That was so masterful, so bossy, so basically powerless. Get up to the roofs of your buildings. Quickly now, spit spot...Now...Cardiff! Isn't it pretty? Doesn't it twinkle so? Take a good look. Remember this... because it all goes so quick."

The sky lit up around Ianto. It was almost like an artificial sunshine as each explosion burst skywards. Each explosion lit up a different part of the city, exposing every area to distant fires, some of the explosions were close enough for him and Tosh to throw themselves on the roof floor of their building to protect themselves.

The noise was so deafening around him that even the cries from Gwen, over the comms were drowned out. Tosh was still able to watch a rift spike on the monitor she carried with her, and ascertain the damage caused by the explosions.

"Fifteen major explosions, at strategic points across the city. There's currently a surge in traffic trying to leave the city but the explosions have cut off all major routes in and out. Landlines, mobile phones and IT networks all down, TV and radio off air. He's completely crippled us Gwen."

Gwen was not happy. Ianto could hear her profanity, even as she whispered it. His pocket vibrated as he stood. He pulled it out and checked the screen.

"Not wanting to be the harbinger of doom but the systems which serve the Turnmill nuclear plant have all gone off-line."

"Right, Tosh, Ianto, you have to stabilise the nuclear power station, make that a priority. Owen, what's it like at the hospital?"

"Tosh...was that spike Jack?" asked Ianto, once Gwen had finished taking charge of the situation and their team.

"I think so," she said uncertainly, wishing that she could say or do something that would ease Ianto's mind.

"Can we get him back?"

"We will try our best. Ianto we need to focus on fixing this devastation now, then we can find Jack."

Given the nature of the explosions, the whole city was in panic mode. Some people were brave enough to stay in their homes, while the majority attempted to flee the city. This left all the major roads out of the city gridlocked, leaving the back streets and alleys abandoned. The down side to the abandoned alleys and the result of explosions caused all the Weevils to come up from the city drains into the open, flooding roads and pathways with them.

On the way to Turnmill to prevent a nuclear disaster, Tosh and Ianto found themselves playing Weevil hide and seek. Currently they flattened themselves against a door, looking worried. Ianto looked around the corner of a garage, assessing their route, though it proved futile, the Weevils blocked every conceivable option. Thinking of no other option, Ianto put a call through to the others.

"Owen, Gwen, can you hear me? The streets are flooded with weevils. They came out of nowhere. There's no chance we'll get to the nuclear power station in time."

"Ianto, leave it to me. I can get there," replied Owen sounding pre-occupied, no doubt with issues at the Hospital.

"How?"

"King of the Weevils, remember? And before you say anything Ianto, I'm doing this. The Weevils would never dream of attacking me. I won't let them maul either of you to death. It's how Jack would want this to go down."

Freed from their responsibility at the Nuclear station, Ianto and Tosh made their way back to the Hub, as they weren't that far away. Gwen was already there, as was John Hart. Ianto was desperate to find Jack and thought nothing of pulling his gun out and aiming it directly at John's head. Gwen stood between them, calling Ianto's name and shouting for him to put the gun down. Ianto could never believe that John would attempt to help Jack.

An alarm sounded and they were surrounded with Weevils in the Hub. Ianto, Gwen and John were able to subdue them and were in the process of moving the unconscious animals into cells.

"You did what?"

"Ianto!"

"I didn't have a choice!" for a second Ianto thought he heard a regretful tone in John's voice.

"There's always a choice," yelled Ianto, unmindful of John's regretful tone.

"Okay. Can we just get these Weevils into the cells please!" It sounded like Gwen was the pig in the middle of the 'Jack's past lover' argument, and was getting annoyed with it.

"If we don't find him, I'll kill you. Very slowly," Ianto had fun thinking about all the ways he could prolong John's agonising death when he got John alone.

The cell doors slammed shut behind each of them.

"Whoa! What's happening? Tosh? Tosh! Ianto, my comms are dead." Neither of them saw the tallish, handsome, but obviously angry individual wandering around the glass fronted cells they were now locked in.

"Gwen?" said Ianto wearily. The man stopped in front of John's cell.

"I let you go. I gave you one trip. You could have gone anywhere," said Gray in a stoic tone.

"Question of honour," was John's response. It seemed that all along John had been on their side, thought Ianto. It was clear now that John had been coerced to go along with Gray's plan all along.

"Gray? You're Gray, right? There's no need for this, we can help you. Just tell us where Jack is." Gwen was always quick to play to advocate, and try to placate explosive situations. This was one time when Gwen would have done well to keep quiet.

"His life's mine now," Gray clearly wasn't interested in anything she had to say, and it appeared that John was just an innocent victim in this whole fiasco.

"Where's Jack? What've you done with him? What've you done with him?" Ianto's anger bubbled up inside of him, and it burst over, causing him to shout to a guy he couldn't even see.

Gray ignored Ianto's outburst and continued to walk away, but was stopped in his track by a banging noise. For a second no one gave the noise any thought, but then it happened again. And it kept happening, once every 5 seconds. Gray went in search of the noise, abandoning his revenge on the people in the cells.

"What's that banging?"

"Something's wrong."

"Never mind that, I've got an idea."

Luckily for them it appeared John knew something about electronics, and was able to reverse the signal sent out by Gray, sending the Weevils back where they came from.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack strides into the room of cells his friends were held captive in. He looks in the little cell window of one cell.

"Jack!" exclaimed Gwen on seeing his face.

Jack reached for his wrist strap, opening the cells with the flick of a button.

"Oh God. Oh, thank God! "

"I thought we'd lost you."

"Never...Never!" shuddered Jack, feeling the contact of Gwen's body felt foreign to him after so long underground.

Unwrapping his arm from around Gwen's shoulder, Jack resituated himself so Ianto was snuggled tight into his side. When he wasn't satisfied with the contact, Jack moved Ianto in front of him, desperately crushing their lips together.

Ianto had no idea how long Jack had been gone for, but the kiss did not feel like he had been gone for hours, more like weeks or months.

"Quite a queue for the hugs," said John rudely interrupting their passionate reunion.

Slight embarrassed, but in a good way, Ianto released Jack, standing to his left behind his shoulder. Although John had almost proven himself with the recall of the weevils, Ianto was reluctant to trust him fully, so kept him in his eye line, should he do something untoward.

"Always has been, always will be. Nice use of the ring, by the way."

"Thank you. Least I could do. Listen, Gray's in the Hub."

"I know. It's done. Gwen, take John and secure the rest of the Hub, start with the lower levels. Make sure we don't have any rogues that could cause us problems later on."

Once it was just the two of them, Ianto rushed out a question, before Jack could say anything.

"Wheredidhetakeyou? Areyouokay?"

"I'm fine Ianto," Jack almost struggled to get the words out. Thousands of years underground, buried amongst sodden earth, insects and worms. Unable to breathe without eating mouthfuls of dirt before he had no option but to die. The death never got easier for his body in the first few days, but every so often he would die from hunger, as well as oxygen deprivation.

"When this is all over Ianto, I'll tell you all about what happened. You can tell me about what happened here over dinner."

"You're talking about dates now?"

"Grant me this, just for now? I feel there's more we've got to get through first. Where are Tosh and Owen?"

Ianto went to check on Janet while Jack went to his office. As Jack came across the main computer area he spotted blood on the floor. For a second he discounted it, but then he saw the trail of blood. Following it, he saw a petite dark haired beauty he hadn't seen in centuries, propped up against the autopsy table in the medical bay. Rushing down the stairs he reached her side, checking her pulse.

"Toshiko? Toshiko? I need help down here!" Jack shouted to anyone in hearing distance, "Okay?" he directed to the woman in his arms.

Gwen ran unseen by Jack into the bay, grabbing a syringe, trying to help out. Ianto wasn't far behind, but seeing his best friend lying on the cold concrete floor, pools of her blood scattering the floor in odd patterns, stopped him in his tracks. It was like Lisa all over again! Ianto was struck by the similarities between their situations. He desperately wanted to help her, but he didn't want to make anything worse, so he stood apart from his lover and friends.

"The nuclear plant at Turnmill. Owen's there," Tosh wheezed out, looking up into Jack's eyes as he held her, "sealed in. Re-routed the blast. I couldn't save him."

Jack darted a look in Ianto's direction, his eyes absorbing Ianto's shocked look at Tosh, not seeming to be listening to the words she'd just uttered. Jack would have to deal with Ianto later. Tosh needed him now.

Gwen used the injection she'd prepped into Tosh's leg; a pain killer to ease her suffering.

"Tosh?"

"There you go, darling. Talk to me now, come on. Hey! Tosh!"

Somehow, given his time among death and decay, Jack could sense that no matter what they did, there was no saving Toshiko. Holding her tightly he smiles down at her, trying to ease her passing. She smiled back, maybe an automatic reaction, or maybe genuine, he'd never know, before her face went slack and, her eyes remaining open as her last breath left her body. Tears welled up in Jack's eyes, diluting his vision as he pulled her closer still to his body.

Jack was unable to hear Gwen's sobs as she cried out for Toshiko, and struggled to see Ianto lean heavily against one of the medical carts, still away from them.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

An hour they all gathered there, unable to control their emotions. Both Gwen and Jack grieved together over Tosh's cooling body, while Ianto stayed curled against the concrete steps. It wasn't until John couldn't stand to see them like that anymore that he eased Tosh from Jack's arms and took her down to the morgue.

Freed from the weight of her body, Jack felt it was time to move. His legs refused to support him at first. He urged Gwen to go home, to be consoled by Rhys, wanting to be left alone with the two people that knew him the best. He knew that he was needed, and he needed to be needed, to know that there was someone who he wasn't going to let down, because he'd held onto the thought of Ianto for so many centuries, just like he had done with his time with the Master.

Gwen left quietly, and Ianto was still curled up on the floor. Jack didn't know if Ianto was still mourning Tosh's death, or if he'd even grasped that Owen was dead as well. Jack knew that the first time Owen had been killed, Ianto hadn't taken it well. Who could blame him? Jack was so used to death that he could get over it in hours, but he wasn't used to people he was closed to losing people. He was just used to him losing people.

John sent Jack a silent message via their wrist straps;

'_I'll be back in a few hours. Take care of Eye Candy, and I'll make sure Gwen gets home safely. JH'_

Jack wrapped himself around Ianto's body, pulling it from the chilly floor. Ianto didn't protest, didn't move, just sniffed and tried to raise his head to peer through his red rimmed eyes. No words were spoken as Jack carried Ianto away from the room of his friend's blood stained room. He walked them both down to the shower area and sat on a bench. Jack undressed his bloody clothing, stripping to flesh, before doing the same to Ianto. Ianto stood, but didn't help Jack in his task.

They showered together, with Jack doing all the work. The simple tasks helped to focus his mind. Ianto went through the motions of lifting his arms, when asked and turn around.

Jack was very clinical with his treatment of Ianto. Gentle, but firm. No leery glazes or wandering hands. Neither of them needed that kind of comfort. Jack left Ianto wrapped in two huge towels seated on a short bench next to the shower cubicle, so he could find them both some clean, blood free clothes.

Finally clean, warm and dressed they made their way up to the Hub. John had taken the time to clean up, as Jack had left with Ianto. Very considerate of him, considering part of this whole fiasco had been his doing. The medical bay floor was barely stained with their friend's blood, but Jack didn't want Ianto seeing more than he had to, so Jack made sure Ianto's vision was blocked as they walked past.

Jack made a conscious effort to prepare a pot of tea after he'd sat Ianto down in his office, on the sofa. He carried the tray with two mugs, a spoon, teapot and a packet of biscuits. He never rushed, but his hands were shaking slightly, just enough to make the mugs clink together.

He poured the tea with care, placing a mug in Ianto's cupped hands before filling one for himself, and settling himself next to Ianto. They sipped in silence, calmer now.

"Are you feeling better now?" Jack asked softly, placing his half finished tea down on the floor next to his feet.

"Tosh is dead." Ianto replied simply.

"Yes," Jack answered mournfully.

"Your brother killed her?" Ianto questioned uncertainly.

"Yes."

"Where's Owen?" Ianto didn't look at Jack, or in Jack's direction, just kept his gaze on his mug, almost trance like.

"I think he's dead," Jack answered honestly, knowing that Ianto would know sooner or later. In Jack's opinion, the sooner the better, like ripping off a plaster.

"Do you know for certain?"

"Not yet. Haven't made the checks, but Tosh said he'd been trapped in Turnmill in the chamber where she had to vent the toxic gas. My guess? He helped save someone, and got locked in. Died saving the rest of us."

"Is he gone forever this time?" Ianto sounded almost childlike. Jack became concerned, as there were no tears in Ianto's eyes. No emotion except fear for his past lover and friend.

"I think he is. I'm so sorry." Jack didn't know how to comfort Ianto. It had been so long ago that he'd helped him through Owen's first death, when they'd first begun to date at Owen's request, and even longer before, when Lisa had been killed.

"He's really dead," Ianto stated without emotion. Continuing to stare off into space, Jack saw a solitary tear fall down Ianto's cheek. Jack was compelled to wipe the tear off, but his lips got there first, placing butterfly kisses along the path the droplet had taken.

"He is, but he'll always be with you...in here," Jack pulled away from kissing Ianto's cheeks to lay a hand over Ianto's heart.

"Where's Toshiko?" Ianto asked again, changing the subject.

"I think she's in the morgue. John took her there earlier. I'm sorry Ianto. There was nothing I could have done to save her. She'd been like that for a while, and the blood loss was too extensive."

"I know Jack."

Still a little at a loss because of Ianto's lack of response to his two best friends and ex-lover, he opened his arms, and slid Ianto into the shelter of his arms. They stayed in each others arms until John returned.

As much as Jack wanted a private word with John, he was loathe to disentangle himself from the man he loved, but it felt like Ianto was asleep, so Jack tried to slide his arms away without disturbing him.

"I'm not sleeping, Jack," came a quiet murmur.

"'Go back to sleep. There are some things I need to take care of."

"No, I want to hear Owen's last few minutes. I need to know what happened."

Together, Jack, John and Ianto watched the surveillance tape of Tosh, and the telephone call between Tosh & Owen, right before their deaths. They watched as Owen struggled to accept his fate, sealed by Jack's brother, and Tosh's broken hearted plea for him to try to stay calm. When Owen had accepted his fate, Ianto turned away to stop himself watching Owen disintegrate right in front of his eyes.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore Jack."

Jack stopped watching the monitor, tears in his eyes, and turned to look Ianto directly in the eye.

"Ianto, I'm sorry this happened. I'm sorry this was ever brought to our doorstep. I'm sorry my brother caused this to happen."

"You have to say it Jack. You can't just keep saying 'this' all the time. It was the death of two of our friends. My friends; my best friend and my ex-boyfriend. How am I supposed to work through my grief if you can't even say that they're dead?"

"I can say it if it helps, but the way I've learnt to deal with my grief is gloss over it. Make it less personal so I can deal with it. If it helps you, for me to say their names at every juncture, then I'll do it. But you can't leave! I can't let you walk away, alone, from here. You've been through a lot, both you and Gwen have, and I think we could all do with some time off, but you need to be here, just as I need you to be here. Torchwood can't function without you. You've been apart of it for too long, and...and I can't do this without you. I'll organise for some people from Glasgow to come cover the Hub for a few months, then when we're all refreshed, we can look at the situation here and work things out."

"Is that what I'm going to end up when I die? Something to be glossed over?" asked Ianto angrily.

"I-"

"Because if so, we should end this now, before someone gets hurt. Before I get hurt again. I'm not sure I'd have the strength to return from it a third time."

"Ianto Jones! You have no idea how hard I've found it to forget you. Twice you saved me from the brink of mental destruction. Once while being tortured, the other when I was buried beneath the foundations of Cardiff City. Both times my mind conjured up the only person it though could get me through. Twice, images and conversations with you kept me hoping and wishing, but most of all motivated to see you again. There will never be any glossing over with you, because I know you will always be with me."

Touched, Ianto quickly changed to subject.

"Tell me what Gray did to you. How you got in the cryo-chamber?"

Given all they'd gone through, and to keep Ianto's thoughts from grief, Jack told him in detail how Gray had welcomed him with open arms, before stabbing him through the side with a sword. That was one case where 'stabbed in the back' was given a new, more real meaning.

Although thinking about it took him back to that dreaded place, Jack described the feeling of dying, buried alive, dirt filling his nostrils, ear cavities and mouth suffocating him time after time. Then Jack told Ianto, in stilted sentences, how every time he died he'd end up sitting at his desk, or on a beach; at a bar or in a bath, but Ianto was the one constant, and just like his time with the Master, they'd talk or lie together.

Jack talked until his voice was hoarse, talking himself into silence as his story ended.

"I'm sorry about what I said," responded Ianto finally, after he absorbed Jack's tale.

"It was the grief talking. I don't blame you."

"I can see why you 'gloss over', with experiences like those. You're very unlucky, considering you're immortal."

"Time spent with the Doctor I guess. He has an effect on people. Generally a 'run for your life' effect. Seems the trouble mentality stayed with me."

Feeling more stable and happier, given past events, Ianto stood and offered his hands to Jack.

"I think we need to gather their belongings together. Give them the send off they deserve-"

"I'll deal with Owen's belongings, and before you say anything, it'll be easier this way. We'll leave Toshiko's stuff for Gwen. You...you can deal with the death certificates and de-authorising their passes and codes."

Ianto rang Gwen.

"How are you Ianto? Did you sleep?"

"Neither of us slept, but we're doing okay," Ianto hadn't even realised so much time had passed. He didn't feel like he'd missed a night's sleep, "we need you to come in. Jack wants your help removing Tosh's belongings."

"Isn't it too soon?"

"It's time."

They worked in muted silence, each had tears running down their cheeks, trying not to cry too loud, so the others would hear.

Jack bagged up Owen's stethoscope and white lab coat. Memories, older than they should have been, assaulted Jack; of the times he'd worn the coat with the button badges on it. He remembered Owen's sarcastic comments and southern sense of humour. He'd be greatly missed by everyone, but Jack would always hold a special place in his heart for Owen, for bringing him together with Ianto, despite the weird circumstances.

Ianto systematically worked his way through Owen's then Tosh's Torchwood profile; date and time of death, circumstances surrounding death, and finally the 'Final Logout Procedure' confirmation.

Ianto touched a hand to Owen's profile picture before he confirmed logout.

"I'll always love you Owen. Always and forever."

A video brought the last surviving members of Torchwood Cardiff together. Their friend, Toshiko Sato, had created a video journal, setting it to activate when her profile was signed as inactive. Both Ianto and Jack were shocked at Tosh's brilliance as her face filled the computer screen.

Her words brought a laugh from Jack as she tried to lighten the mood surrounding her death. When it ended Jack spoke.

"Now we carry on."

Gwen voiced Ianto's thoughts from earlier.

"I don't think I can. Not after this."

Jack put his arm around her shoulder and she curled into his body. Jack lay his other arm around Ianto's waist.

"You can," Jack encouraged quietly, "we all can. The end is where we start from."

Together they held each other, grieving again. Jack couldn't help but feel proud at the changes he had been able to illicit in Toshiko, all the good she had done in her short life.


	18. The end is where we start from

**Chapter 18 – The End Is Where We Start From**

In the end they contacted Martha and several trusted members of UNIT to cover Rift alerts while they had their down time.

Gwen booked an extravagant Caribbean cruise for herself, Rhys and her parents. She used the money she'd been keeping to one side to pay for it; the money she hadn't wanted Rhys to know about so long ago.

It had been years since Ianto had had an overseas holiday, and Jack had never found the time to travel the planet he'd worked so hard to protect, so they packed two rucksacks with the bare essentials and caught the first flight out of Cardiff International Airport – South America. Ianto slept for the majority of the flight. Jack had a lot of time to think. Try as he might, he found it difficult not to think about the things that had happened to himself and two members of his team in recent days, but he tried to keep his train of thought on what adventures, and places they were going to visit when they landed.

Jack and Ianto had not really spoken of any of the trauma they'd been through since the night Tosh had died in Jack's arms. They'd spent time sleeping, cuddling up to each other to stave off dreams and nightmares. They'd eaten together, showered together, and had sex, but very little time had been spent talking. They tried to avoid it at all costs, consciously avoiding each other when they felt the silence too uncomfortable.

Landing in Buenos Aires they caught the first bus into the city, and booked into the first hotel they came across. Without storing their meagre belongings they hit the road out of the city again to a forest reserve, riding horses and attempting to be one with nature. Ianto appeared to be a natural rider, even though he'd never been on a horse before. Jack had ever found the time, since arriving in the 1800's, to mount any horses, though a discussion did break out between them about the many 'mounts' Jack _had _had in those times.

In the days that followed they travelled from city to city, town to town, never staying in the same place for more than one or two nights. Both wanted to see as much as possible before they had to get back to reality. They moved through Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela and finally into Brazil.

Ianto got to know a lot more about Jack's former life, before he came to Earth. Jack regaled him with tales of his time with the Doctor and Rose, the eventual death he'd been subjected to by the Daleks, and his return to life with the help of Tardis energy.

Jack had to pry hard to get Ianto to talk about his family, but when he eventually started to talk, things felt a little easier every time he spoke.

Every night they stayed in the same bed together, no matter the size of it. Sometimes they slept, other nights they made love, but most nights they used their time exploring the underworlds of the city or town they were in. They looked for danger posed by gangs, thieves and crooks; never seeing any extraterrestrial goings on, even though both hoped for it.

Happily it appeared that the world could look after itself, and South America was a great place to avoid all alien contact. Well Jack was happy about it. Ianto, though he'd had only limited field experience in the past year, wanted to blast some alien to kingdom come, or fight hand to hand with the scum of the planet over a child's life. Occasionally when Jack slept Ianto would go out on his own, looking for trouble. There was one evening/morning when Ianto found what he was looking for. His anger fuelled him to make the mistake of not scoping out the area well enough, and before he knew it he was surrounded by five drug lords in the fields of Columbia. He wanted to save the world, by putting himself in danger, but this was one instance where the danger was too much.

Having misjudged his enemy he had no place to run. The five tall, varying muscular built men aimed knives in his direction, and suddenly Ianto knew he wasn't going to get out of the situation unscathed. He turned in one direction, then in the other seeking a route of escape, but the men were advancing, tightening their circle. Ianto didn't bother to say anything, he didn't speak the language. Even Jack had had trouble communicating with the people in this region.

'What would Jack do?' Ianto asked himself, which was a stupid question really, because Jack would let himself be killed, more than likely, then return from the dead to fight another day. When Ianto got injured, the bullet holes stayed there.

The drug lords shouted words at him in their foreign tongue, expecting a response. Ianto just let them carry on. When they were within a foot of him, Ianto did the only thing he could think of ...drop to the floor quickly. Confusion reigned through the tone of the drug lords conversations as Ianto swiftly leopard crawled through the legs of one man, out of the circle of knives before shooting to his feet. Adrenaline gave him the edge he needed to sprint for his life away, from the most dangerous situation he'd ever been in his entire life. He scrambled over rocks and scrub land dodging behind trees as several shots rang out. When he thought back on it later, he realised the shots had come from Jack.

Eventually Ianto arrived back at the hotel, to find Jack awake, lounging in bed. He wore linen trousers loosely tied and no shirt, given the humid heat of the night. Jack didn't move, or even look at Ianto as he quietly shut the door behind him.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack's attention was focused on the rotating fan suspended above their heads on the ceiling. He didn't want to react to the scene he had just witnessed. Ianto had purposefully put himself in harm's way, with drug lords no less. He had left their bed in the middle of the night, not even leaving a note to let Jack know where he would be, probably hoping to be back before Jack woke up. Jack was lucky he hadn't been asleep when Ianto had left earlier. He had been so intrigued as to where Ianto was going at night, that he had let him leave, and followed him to the middle of nowhere. Jack had known, for at least the past two nights that Ianto had been 'disappearing' at night.

Ianto was lucky to have gotten away from those men alive, with some fast thinking. Jack had fired his weapon to let the other men know that Ianto had cover, if they tried to follow him. Jack had taken a moped from a nearby house to follow Ianto, hence the reason he had arrived back before him.

"You're awake," said Ianto, taking in Jack's position and the mood in the air.

"Yeah."

"I thought you'd be asleep," Ianto responded, walking further into the room to sit on his side of the bed. He started to take his shoes off when Jack spoke again.

"No. I'm awake. Have been for a while...where have you been?" Jack was keeping his cool just to be sure he hadn't misinterpreted the situation he'd witnessed.

"Oh, I went for a walk."

"Don't lie to me."

The lie that tripped off Ianto's tongue, almost as if he'd practiced it, angered and hurt Jack, halting Ianto's movements, forcing him to turn around.

"I know where you were. If I hadn't been there watching you I wouldn't have believed you could be so stupid."

"Jack I-"

"Why? Why, after everything that we've been through, after everything that we've talked about, would you go looking for trouble like that? Alone?"

"I-"

Jack sat up then, piercing Ianto with his stare.

"Are you that desperate to join Tosh and Owen that you'd go into a situation you know nothing about, without a weapon or a clue how to communicate with the enemy? Because if you're that anxious to go, I can sort that out for you right now. Save the local authorities the trouble of paperwork and finding a killer." Once started, Jack had trouble raining in his anguish, hurt and fear he'd felt for Ianto's safety.

Coming down from an adrenaline high, Ianto suddenly didn't have the energy or the nerve to face Jack, but Jack didn't give him much of an option. This was the first time Toshiko and Owen's names had been mentioned out loud, which caused Ianto to crumple and break down into tears from a combination of locked up emotions and a broken heart he'd tried to hold together.

Jack was taken aback for a second before he enveloped Ianto, his arms wrapping around his sinewy shoulders. Ianto had lost weight over the last five months of travelling. They both had. They ate when they felt like it, which wasn't as often as it should be.

Ianto's sobs echoed around the empty room, flooding Jack's ears until he no longer heard it, becoming part of the background noise, along with the animals, drunk humans, and in need of servicing cars.

Just like the tragic night their friends died, Ianto stayed enfolded in Jack's arms until his sobs sputtered to a halt. Losing his anger, Jack spoke quietly to Ianto, desperately wanting some answers for tonight's actions, but hesitant to ask for fear of another unexpected outburst.

"Why did you go out tonight Ianto?"

Ianto wanted to give a brush off answer, but knew that he owed Jack more than that. There was no chance of dropping this subject until Ianto had answered all that needed answering.

"I wanted to do some good. Travelling with you has been great, but I wanted to do some good, save people, like we used to."

"If you missed Cardiff all you had to do was say. We can go back at any time."

"Yes, I know we can, but things won't be the same as they are here. Back home I'll lose you. Not physically, but emotionally. And I wanted to feel something..."

"What do you mean? About losing me?" Jack asked cautiously. He had no need to question the other comment. Jack knew better than most about doing dangerous things in order to feel something emotionally. He'd done a lot of that back in the early days when he'd separated from the Doctor, and again years later when he'd watched the head of Torchwood kill himself after trying to 'save' the others from what was to come.

Ianto took a minute to formulate his answer.

"When we get back to Torchwood, I feel that things are going to change between us. You'll try to distance yourself from me. Here we talk about the past, present and future. When we were in Cardiff we never ever spoke about those kinds of things. I like it when you tell me what you're feeling, or thinking. That's not something we've ever had before, and I don't want to lose it."

"Why would we lose it?"

"Because you'll try distancing yourself from me! Maybe because Gwen is around, or maybe because I'll have to put myself in more dangerous situations when we get back, because we won't have enough field agents to cover the Rift alerts, and you don't want to lose me as well."

"We will have to go back at some point."

"I know. Has Martha tried to get in contact yet?"

"Yes. Several times, mostly questions on operations, but she has asked when we're going back. Several times."

"What did you say?"

"I left it very vague."

They lapsed into silence for a while, still embracing each other, until Ianto said the words he should have said at the start of their conversation.

"I'm sorry, Jack."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Long after Ianto slipped into slumber, Jack's mind continued to work. The conversation they'd had, their first real, get-down-and-dirty heart to heart had contained no half truths. Just bare facts, but Jack was stuck on one particular sentence, 'Back home I'll lose you'.

Jack had always tried to love sparingly, and yet had been so fruitful when it came to lovers in his lifetime, because he knew they'd disappear eventually. It hadn't been like that in the beginning, but the longer he kept lived and kept coming back from the dead, the more he pulled his feelings away from people.

Natural causes, murder, suicide and accidental deaths. The fact was, everyone around him would die in the end, and he was powerless to stop it happening. His only defence was to distance himself, refuse to love wholeheartedly, but some individuals just got under ones skin, refusing to budge.

Jack had known for a long time that Ianto Jones was one of those individuals. No matter how hard he tried, he loved Ianto so much, but subconsciously held himself back, fearing his inevitable demise. Ianto had clearly picked up on it, which made Jack feel a little ashamed.

The thoughts running through Jack's mind were relatively simple questions, but required lots of brain power to find the suitable answer...How could he show Ianto what was truly in his heart? How could he prove to Ianto he trusted him?

Though he tossed and turned ideas in his head, he knew the only solution.

He was going to ask Ianto to marry him.


	19. And so the real work begins

**19 And so the real work begins!**

They slept for hours, waking as the sun was making its downward journey from the sky. The sunset and the slight coolness of the breeze coming through the window woke them. Jack wanted to move quickly with his plans for matrimony, but they had to leave Africa in favour of a country that had no qualms legally bonding two males together for life.

Showering together and dressing for the evening, Jack took Ianto to a traditional African restaurant regularly frequented by tourists for its lively night entertainment of native dancers. He indulged them both with luscious food and drink.

Ianto noticed every step Jack took was lighter than it had been the day before, and it even had a spring in it. Conversation was flirtatious and light-hearted, that had for so long been full of hidden sorrow.

Ianto couldn't discern the cause of the sudden change in atmosphere, but he would make the most of it while it lasted. Who knew when the next disaster would hit? He had thought, at one point, that it might have been related to their open and frank discussion the day before, or even knowledge of what Ianto was doing alone at night, but Ianto was uncertain.

The end of the meal approached, and they sat back next to each other, enjoying the local entertainment, sipping below par coffee.

"Not as good as yours, Ianto."

"I know, but whose is?" Ianto joked.

"I don't think I could live without your coffee in the mornings."

"Or the lunchtimes, afternoons, evenings or nights?"

"Or those either. I guess I should ensure that I'm not without it."

Jack tried to broach the topic of marriage through coffee beans. Not the most thought out or adventurous way to propose, but Jack had tried all kinds of weird and wonderful proposal techniques in the past, always finding that just the simple question was more than enough for most people.

"Well we already live and work together. You can't get much closer than that," responded Ianto absently, his vision caught on one peculiar dancer's choice of dress.

"You can," Jack waited a beat before steaming ahead with his burning question, "marry me?"

Jack chose that moment to stop watching the tribal dancers, catching Ianto's reaction. Jaw dropping, quite literally! Ianto looked like he was catching flies, or ready to perform the perfect blow job. Ianto's head swivelled so fast in Jack's direction, Jack was surprised he didn't sustain whiplash.

Floundering like a fish out of water Ianto opened and closed him mouth several times, stunned into silence. Eventually he managed to form one word.

"Marriage?"

"What you said last night got me thinking. How can I prove to you that I trust you, love you beyond all belief? How can I prove I'm in this, this relationship with you 'til the very end? Marriage." Jack stated quite cheerfully.

Finding his voice once more Ianto lowered his tone.

"You'd prove it with marriage?" The tone became a hushed whisper, but still maintained an air of bewilderment.

"Well technically no. We wouldn't be married, we'd be in a civil partnership, but that's as close as we can get...at least in this century."

"But-"

"We'd have to leave Africa to do it, but we could travel to America, legalise everything there then fly back to Cardiff when you're ready. You did say you missed all the running, strange anomalies and aliens, but only if your answer is yes."

Stumped, Ianto just sat there, in his chair, coffee cup abandoned on the table in front of him.

He'd dreamed of marriage. First to Lisa, then to Owen, but he had never thought of Jack, standing there at the altar waiting for him. Them standing side by side speaking vows over the exchange of rings. It came as a surprise to him, when a minute after that thought he was flooded with love, ideas of elopement and spending the rest of his life with Jack, fighting the good fight.

Before he knew it, he'd opened his mouth and rather loudly proclaimed, 'YES!"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto, having never planned a wedding before, let Jack do his thing. Jack rang the airport first to arrange a flight to America from Brazil. He managed to secure a flight to San Francisco with an overnight stay, to show Ianto the sights before flying onwards to Las Vegas. He booked a luxury suite at the Venetian hotel and limousine to transport them from and to McClaren Airport. Speaking to the Concierge at the hotel, Jack coordinated full takeover of the chapel, a priest, appropriate clothing, and most importantly rings. He'd briefly considered a theme wedding, but knowing Ianto's dislike of being the centre of attention, disregarded it.

The flight to San Francisco was around 12 hours, but was relatively cosy, considering Jack had secured two first class tickets. Amusing themselves for that length of time, with Jack in control of the aisle seat sliding door was easy. Jack dared Ianto to join the mile high club.

To begin with, Ianto wasn't confident enough but after several glasses of complimentary champagne he was game and more than a little horny. Touching and fondling could only go so far, especially when you had a partial partition separating you from your lover, but they gave it their best shot.

Finally desperate to find their ending, they removed themselves to the lavatory. Luckily for them the stewardess was busy in Economy as they were the only first class passengers. Jack may have slipped her a tip to stay busy in cattle class for the next two hours.

With zips falling free and skin exposed, they gave each other their well deserved and worked for ending before returning to their seats.

"Does that count towards the mile high club?" asked Ianto in hushed tones, looking delightedly flushed and bright eyed.

"Oh most definitely, but I have it on good authority that the stewardess will be gone for at least another hour, if you want to recline the seat and go cowboy?" Jack dared again.

"You paid her to be elsewhere didn't you?"

"Maybe..."

"So yes then. How long do we have?"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The rest of the flight passed quietly enough.

Arriving at San Francisco Airport they were whisked away to the Omni San Francisco hotel, not far from the Golden Gate Bridge. They spent the day sightseeing around the city. David, the doorman was a great help giving them ideas of places to see and eat. They walked across the bridge, took a ferry ride around Alcatraz Island and rode a cable car. They dined at Cliff House taking in the view of the Pacific Ocean overlooking a rocky bluff.

The flight to Las Vegas the following morning was a relatively short one hour thirty.

The black stretched limousine transported them to the hotel with a free bottle of champagne. Greeted by the bellboy and doorman, they were escorted to the front desk of the Venetian. The grand calonade was all white marble and hand painted Michelangelo-esque masterpiece scenes. A gold gilded circular statue took up the centre of the room.

As Jack checked them in, Ianto found himself mesmerised by his surroundings. In the distance he swore he could hear, what sounded like a waterfall inside the hotel.

Jack had managed to arrange the civil ceremony for the following day, so they had a full day and night to explore the world hidden on a tarmac strip in the middle of the Nevada desert.

"Room?" asked a familiar voice over his shoulder.

"Let's see what Las Vegas has to offer."

First, the hotel, where it turned out there were two indoor fountains and a primarily indoor grand canal, only seen in Italy with gondola rides. There was indoor shopping and restaurants made to look like they were outside, as the ceilings were painted as sky. Four hours vanished before they made it outside.

The sun shone and the heat was just bearable, not that they cared, as they turned heads left and right venturing to the Treasure Island, Mirage and Wynn hotels. They were content to just absorb their outdoor surroundings.

As evening approached they caught the early shows of the T.I. sirens and Mirage Volcano eruption.

They set off in the opposite direction as far as Caesars Palace nipping inside to see the Greek themed lobby before crossing to the Leprechaun bar, where a real life leprechaun entertained gamblers hourly. Standing at the bar sipping one dollar beer from plastic glasses, Ianto watched roulette wheels spin and blackjack cards shuffled.

"Ready to head back?" asked Jack.

Ianto looked at his watch.

"1130? How did that happen?"

"No clocks on any walls in or out of the casinos. Stops gamblers realising the time, helping them spend more money."

"Genius! How far back is the hotel?"

Ianto had no idea where they were.

"About 15 minutes, or we could take the bus?"

As they finished their beer, Jack made the decision to walk back. The streets were still reasonably crammed with tourists, lots of them inebriated, or on their way to being. Leading the way, Jack took hold of Ianto's hand so they didn't lose each other in the throng. Navigating was easy, as the strip was one long road.

Up the escalator at the Venetian, Jack guided them to Reception to retrieve their Suite key.

"It's very lavish here Jack."

"You deserve it. I booked it because it reminded me of you."

"Tosh would've loved it here-,"

"And Owen would have called it ponsy." The comment caused them both to laugh.

"He wouldn't have hated it you know. He'd have hated the money it cost, and all the tourists, but he would have liked it. He'd probably say coming here meant he didn't have to visit the rest of the world, because it's all on one street. Lazy, but convenient when working for Torchwood."

Jack laughed when Ianto put on a London accent, emphasising in the right places, in Owen's droll manner. He swiped the key card down the side of the door handle and pushed it open.

"Welcome to our home for the next week."

One first impression the room was small, but a corridor connected the front door to the opening of their suite. Hesitantly Ianto slipped over the threshold, along the corridor, passing a door he guessed to be the bathroom. At the end of the corridor the medium sized entrance way opened up into an open planned living room, complete with sofa. At the far end of the room was a king size bed with a small wall separating both rooms.

"Wow!" Ianto exclaimed, standing stock still.

Jack followed slowly, approaching the love of his 21st Century life, looping his arm around his thin waist.

"Very nice. Even I didn't expect this. Shall we check out the bathroom?"

Turned out everything was made of marble, and there was a Jacuzzi in lieu of a bath, big enough for four.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

After such a jam-packed day they opted for room service followed by a christening of the Jacuzzi, shower and bed, before settling into sleep.

Ianto's last thought before his eyes closed was Jack hadn't mentioned any details about their ceremony plans tomorrow, except that it would be the following day at 2pm.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack's planning went according to the itinerary the following day. Jack woke Ianto with a soft kiss and breakfast in bed. Suit bags hung on the wall opposite the bed.

Jack ordered Ianto to change in the bathroom after finishing breakfast. While Ianto changed, Jack cleared up, changing into his own suit. He patted his left breast pocket ensuring the two titanium rings he'd purchased that morning were safe.

He slicked his hair back away from his forehead, making his appearance much like his second wedding to Elizabeth. Smiling to himself, Jack sat to put his polished shoes on as Ianto exited the bathroom. Jack had chosen black tailored suits for each of them, matching except for their ties. Jack wore a black patterned tie, while he'd picked out a red one for Ianto.

How he'd remembered Ianto's sizes he wasn't quite sure, but he'd mentally subtracted inches to compensate for Ianto's recent weight loss, before he'd given the measurements to the tailor. From the fit of the trousers and shirt, Jack had done a good job.

"Very nice. See? I do have impressive taste sometimes."

"Armani?"

"Of course. Couldn't let you walk down the aisle in a JC Penny's outfit. That would never do."

Standing in front of a mirror Ianto looked at himself, seeing for the first time what Jack had seen.

"It's lovely, if a tad snug."

"All the better to see your posterior my dear."

"Are we really doing this?"

"Having second thoughts?" Jack asked quietly, his tone seriously.

"Only because two of our friend's aren't around to see me make a fool of myself as I walk down the aisle."

"They will be there, in your heart. You'd be fawned over by Tosh and Gwen, and Owen would be shooting me threatening looks in an attempt to scare me into looking after you, but we'd both know I'd look after you. Even if the world was ending."

"Which it has, a time or two."

Ianto looked at his watch.

"We have an hour and a half before we have to be downstairs, what are we going to do to kill the time?"

"Relax."

Ten minutes and they left the suite looking dapper. They were a striking couple, who caught the eye of every female they passed.

The chapel in the Venetian was stunning and took several minutes to get used to. They let the priest know they'd arrived before Jack took him to one side. Their whispered conversation lasted seconds before Ianto's hand was grabbed, and he was pulled towards the Casino.

"I've been thinking," Jack started, "as a wedding gift from Torchwood to you, I want to give you $1,000 gambling money, to flutter away as you wish."

"That's a lot of money Jack," said Ianto disapprovingly.

"It's a drop in the ocean. And when will we have the opportunity to do this again?"

"How long have I got to spend it?"

"Let's see what damage you can do in 30 minutes."

Roulette, blackjack and slots, they tried it all. Ianto was hesitant at first, placing small dollar and two dollar bets. To begin with he lost some and won some. After several successive wins, Jack persuaded him to increase the bets he placed. He got down to $800, and then won $300 from one spin of the roulette wheel. Pleased, he increase the bets to $100 a go. $1500, $2000, $4000. Ianto finally stopped when he hit $5000.

Impressed didn't cover how Jack felt seeing Ianto's success. He hugged him tightly before checking the time.

"We'd better get back to the chapel. It's almost time."

"What should I do about all these?" asked Ianto, gesturing to his large pile of red chips.

"You could cash them in, or get the croupier to give you larger denomination chips, and keep them in your pocket."

Thinking, Ianto went with the second option, getting the croupier to change his three piles of chips into 5 single plastic discs. It was the most money he'd ever carried in his pocket before.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The ceremony went off without a hitch. Traditional vows were exchanged as Jack surprised Ianto with the matching rings. Tasteful photographs were taken by a gentleman in a gondolier's outfit, before they were ushered to a gondola kitted out in wedding flowers.

"What is this?" Ianto asked suspiciously.

"Part of the hotel's wedding package. It was this or an Elvis Italian style dance party."

"Well I'm glad you picked this then."

Sitting in the small wooden boat, the gondolier punted them through the 'streets' of Venice, giving them a better view of the hotel than their walk had the previous day. The gondolier sang romantic, Italian love songs to them as they held hands, gazing into each other's eyes.

The final part of their day was a trip to the Stratosphere hotel for a meal in their revolving restaurant, and an evening spent looking down on the Strip lit up for miles.

"Gorgeous Jack! This whole day has been magical. I feel so happy, I could live here forever."

"Even without the aliens?"

"Yup."

"That's settled then."

"What is?"

"We stay for an additional week. See the most this city has to offer."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Over the next week and a half they jumped right into Tourist mode.

Every evening they watched the Bellagio fountain, sometimes from the top of the Eiffel Tower of the Paris hotel, sometimes from the sidewalk directly in front of the fountains. They toured each hotels casinos and what its interior had to offer. The lion sanctuary at MGM, high speed, adrenalin rides at Circus Circus, New York New York and Sahara, light shows in Las Vegas Old Town. Most evenings they were treated to a show from Cirque du Soleil, to comedy and variety shows. They even had time to leave Nevada by helicopter to the Arizona border to see the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam.

Dawn broke on their last day. The flight to Cardiff they were booked on left at 10pm that evening. Waking early, they packed their meagre belongings, fuller since they'd been in America. They'd both bought souvenirs of their trip/honeymoon. It had been the best two weeks of both their lives. They even had a very tastefully put together photo album, prepared by the hotel, full of the civil ceremony pictures, pictures taken while on the Gondola ride and meal at the Stratosphere. Neither of them had clocked the photographer that had obviously been there to capture their special moments. Several pictures saw them looking into each other's eyes, as if nobody else existed.

Ianto cherished one particular photo above all others that had them hugging. To a stranger they were handsome men, but as a couple, they exuded masculinity and, this particular photograph shown in profile, had them as the poster boys for every female and male fantasy. Pure heaven.

Ianto had kept the $5,000 he won on the afternoon of their civil ceremony. He'd made plans on how to use it.

"What should we do today?" asked Jack as they dressed.

"I was thinking, breakfast then casino."

"Really? Any reason?"

"Gotta try and spend my wedding gift somehow."

"I'd forgotten you still had that."

"So...you choose. Roulette or slots?" They were the two things Ianto had gotten on well with when they'd taken the time to gamble.

"Roulette. You seem to get more of a thrill out of that than slots."

"That's true. And because it's my gift, and I don't want to be the only one blowing money and having fun, I want you to take $1,000, and see what you can do with it."

"I'd rather watch you."

"Well we can do it together then."

Ianto held out his hand as Jack reached for it. Their rings glistened in the reflection of the morning sun coming through the window.


	20. Welcome, wedding reception and house

For those of you still persevering with this fic, thank you. Things are going a little slowly with the next few chapters, so it may be quiet for a while.

Enjoy :)

Chapter 20 - Welcome, Wedding Reception and House Warming Party

Arriving back in Cardiff was a low key affair. Jack and Ianto walked through the arrivals doors amid a wave of other locals and tourists, rucksacks slung haphazardly over shoulders, holding hands.

When Jack had called Martha from their hotel suite, he'd let her know their flight number and time of arrival, so someone would be at the airport to pick them up. What Jack hadn't mentioned was their nuptials and the overly large amount of money Ianto had won on the roulette table. $261,069 dollars, or somewhere in the vicinity of £200,000. Jack was still astounded by Ianto's luck. He'd only given him that money to give him something to focus on, to stop the wedding jitters, but Ianto had gone ahead and invested well on the roulette wheel.

There'd been no discussion as yet about what Ianto would spend the money on, but Ianto had been thinking hard. Jack had brought a laptop with him on their trip, but he'd neglected to tell Ianto about it. Of course, Ianto's keen sense of secrets and having seen it in Jack's bag when he'd been occupied in the shower, meant it came as no surprise. Jack had to monitor the world every now and then, to ensure it wouldn't collapse while they took some R & R. Ianto 'borrowed' the laptop and did a bit of research.

For Sale houses, available in and around the bay, and within fifteen minutes of the Hub. Investing in a place together was a great idea, thought Ianto, seeing as Jack's bunker was too small, and his place was full of too many memories. Plus, what else did he have to spend his money on. A fresh start would be good for them both.

Several places had caught his interest and seemed to have everything they'd need, but he hadn't told Jack yet, because this would be his wedding gift to them both. Ianto also didn't want Jack to put anything towards it. Jack would insist to pay for the entire cost of the house because he 'had the money'. Ianto had earned this, so wanted to ensure he spent it well.

Jack spotted Gwen before she noticed them. Her faded tan still made her glow, and though she looked to have lost weight, as they had, she'd still retained her soft feminine curves. Unlike everyone around her, Gwen wasn't holding up a sign.

Squeezing the hand in his, Jack steered them in Gwen's direction. Gwen's eyes lit up when she saw them. Her mouth pulled at both sides into a wide grin. Her eyes lit up, as they tended to do when she unexpectedly saw Jack. A split second later, Gwen saw Ianto, and the intensity of her smile widened even larger.

Rushing forward, she launched herself between the two of them, forcing them to loosen their hands to steady her and themselves. Gwen squeezed her arms tightly around their necks, burying her head against their shoulders.

"Hello to you too!" exclaimed Jack with a laugh.

Pulling back, she kissed them both on the cheek.

"Look at you two! Great tans, and you both look like you've lost weight. Where did you go? What did you get up to?"

"Which one do you want us to answer first?"

"All of them? You both look well rested, and very happy."

"We'll tell you all about it on the way home. If you'd like to led the way?"

Excited she led the way to the short term car park. Luggage stowed securely, both men buckled in, as she pulled out of the multi-storey.

"So start at the beginning and tell me everything."

Jack started the tale of their explorations around South America. Ianto added comments here and there. Neither mentioned the drug lord incident. As they wound their way across imaginary oceans to the United States of America, Ianto took the lead, describing in great detail the sights and sounds of their two US destinations.

As Gwen pulled into the Hub car park, the story stopped, so they could get themselves settled. Greeted by Martha and the skeleton crew of UNIT members Jack had vetted and sanctioned, they dumped their bags in Jack's bunker. Ianto made sure to properly hang their suit bags.

Without waiting to be asked, Ianto went to the kitchen to prepare coffee. Back to normal as usual then, thought Ianto. Martha sidled over to the coffee machine, while Gwen kept Jack busy talking.

"Good time?" Martha asked. Ianto smiled nostalgically.

"Very good time."

"Marriage suits you."

Ianto dropped the silver jug he'd been holding, while Martha giggled.

"I'm sorry I startled you."

"Jack didn't tell you, so how do you know?"

"Wedding bands, and the secret looks and smiles. Like I said, it suits you."

"We've only been married three days."

"Doesn't matter. That's the happiest I've ever seen Jack in all the time I've known him. Relaxed and calm. The lightness in his features and voice. It shows something life changing happened to him."

"It wasn't planned, it just sort of happened."

"Best way to be. When Tom proposed, I knew it was coming. It's better to be surprised."

"It's good to see you Martha. Any disasters that you helped avoid while we were away?"

"A few Weevil attacks, common to the area I believe, but that's about it. Relatively quiet according to Jack."

"Did I hear my name?" called Jack from the doorway of his office.

"Don't say you know about us yet. We need to tell Gwen first," whispered Ianto to Martha.

"No problem," she murmured back, then louder she said, "about you, not to you Jack. You should know the difference by now."

"Always a pleasure to hear you talk about me Martha Jones," he flirted, giving her a wink for good measure.

"You're always the centre of conversation one planet or another, I'm sure Jack."

"After six months, you'd still sass me in front of others Ianto Jones?"

"You know me sir, anything to ensure your ego doesn't fill the entire space of the Hub. By the way Martha, we got you a present. Just a little thank you, for helping look after this place. Protecting the world, and all that."

Ianto hurried to the bunkers, passing a bemused Gwen emerging from Jack's office. He searched through the deep compartment of his rucksack until his fingers touched a box shaped item covered in plastic, wrapped in tissue paper. Returning, he placed the box in her hands.

"It's not much, but we saw it and thought of you."

Looking from one man to the other, Martha carefully unveiled the gift. An ornately decorated mahogany box, its lid covered in flower shaped ivory inlay. Lifting the lid, the box was lined with red velvet and nestled in its centre were two intricate pieces of jewellery. One delicately weaved gold bracelet, the size of a woman's wrist; the other a chunkier gold, perfect for a man. Reluctant to disturb the elegance hidden in the box, Martha traced the outline of one bracelet.

"They're beautiful. I don't know what to say. Thank you!"

"We thought you and Tom may enjoy them."

She hugged both men, thanking them profusely. In Jack's ear she whispered, congratulations before kissing his cheek.

Ianto and Jack spent the next hour catching up on current events. They bid Martha farewell, then took the time to sit down with Gwen. Each man knew what they needed to tell her, but Ianto knew she'd be crestfallen by the news Jack was completely unavailable to her now; even though she'd been married for months.

For two years, Gwen had deluded herself into believing she was in love with Jack, even though almost everyone else on the team had noticed his preoccupation with Ianto, especially when Owen and Ianto had been together. But it appeared Gwen had paid no attention to any of that.

Seated at the conference table, Ianto squeezed Jack's hand, indicating he'd take the lead. Jack waved his hand in agreement.

"Gwen. There's a bit of our journey we left out earlier. We made a decision to change how we live our lives. Tosh and Owen's deaths put our lives into perspective and we...got married."

"Married?" her mouth fell open.

"Yes," Jack finally piped up, "I asked and Ianto kindly said yes. It was time we created something concrete, together."

"Erm...Congratulations." Gwen stood to move around the table to embrace each man. Her smile wasn't quite as bright as it had been earlier, but Ianto knew she'd need time to get used to the situation. Subdued with a preoccupied expression, Gwen left for the evening.

Ianto stood and settled himself into Jack's lap. He drew his arms around Jack's neck and leaned in to peck his lips.

"That conversation went better than expected."

Jack slid his hands seductively around Ianto's waist.

"Hmm...Are we alone now?"

"One member of UNIT stayed behind to monitor the Rift tonight, so we could settle back in."

"Where will he be spending the night?"

"Huddled at a computer station, I imagine, kept company by the light from his computer screen and Myfanwy."

"To change topics, we've never talked about surnames."

"What about them?"

"Who takes who's?"

Thinking, Ianto rested his forehead against Jack's.

"Well it is the 21st Century. Can't we keep our own?"

"I want the world to know you belong to me."

"Because your name carries so much weight?"

"Something like that."

"How about a compromise? Jones-Harkness?"

"I can compromise. Harkness-Jones. Better ring to it, and it's alphabetical."

"Harkness-Jones, Ianto Harkness-Jones. Definite Bond ring to it. Compromise agreed."

"Our first major decision since we married. We work well as a team."

"Talking about decisions, there is something else we should discuss."

"Go ahead."

"I've given a lot of thought to what I want to spend my wedding gift money on."

"Really? That was fast."

Ianto leant back, formulating his speech, to talk Jack into a house together and avoid Jack's, more than likely, insistence to pay.

"The way I see it, we have three options now we're married, but I can only see one working."

"Yes?" Intrigued, Jack listened attentively.

"We will want to live together to fully enjoy all holy matrimony has to offer, therefore option 1; we live at the Hub, always being on call, covering alerts, never getting a minute to ourselves. Also there's the matter of lack of space.

Option 2 is my place. Slightly better, over 20 minutes drive to get to the Bay, a rubbish bed and too many memories of other people. Finally option 3, we find our own place. I sell up, while you move out of here to a place within 15 minutes of here.

I've researched the web and found two places that would fit our needs. A garden, four bedrooms in case we have visitors, office, large bathroom with walk in deluxe shower and clawfoot bath tube, big enough for three. Large kitchen and living room with enough garage space for two cars, plus a drive way for two or three others.

I've booked to view them tomorrow with you, then if we both agree, we can sign the contract the following day."

Jack remained quiet.

"So what do you think?"

"You've finished?"

Ianto nodded.

Jack spoke with care and deliberation.

"I think it's a great idea. When are the appointments?"

"You're not going to argue about who'll pay for it?"

"You've gone to a lot of trouble to put all these pieces in place. Creating a well argued case so I had no option but to agree. But you see, I know how much that money means to you. You could have blown it all, but you invested well on the spin of a wheel. Show me these prospective houses."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

In the end they chose a house on a hill, across the bay in Penarth. In emergencies they could utilise the company speed boat o cross the Bay's turbulent water.

Ianto's flat took a little longer than planned to sell, but all the necessary paperwork was completed within two weeks. When they finally received the keys to their house, they spent their first night on Ianto's old mattress, sharing a Chinese takeout with chopsticks, because they had no cutlery.

The moving van from Ianto's flat deposited the majority of their belongings the following day. They worked from room to room, decorating and unpacking boxes as they went. The job was huge. Every moment they weren't risking their lives they worked to organise their home.

Jack was allowed to spend some money in the end; kitting out a storage cupboard with Torchwood equipment – guns, anti-Weevil spray and portable scanners among other things. Jack was also allowed to choose and purchase their bed.

Naturally he chose a king sized monstrosity, but the mattress felt like falling asleep on a bed of feathers. Jack had initially wanted a water bed, claiming it was the best option for their already magnificent sex life, but Ianto had put his foot down. Under no circumstances was Ianto prepared to sleep on a moving bed of water, no matter how it changed and enhanced sexual angles, depth and rhythm.

Once settled, they tended to eat homemade meals four or five times a week, even if they had to bring work home. They took it in turns to cook and wash dishes. Both found the other was a reasonably good cook. Nothing ever got burnt...Well no intentionally. There were times they forgot about their food, being caught by romantic and sexual urges.

They were the perfect couple, Gwen pronounced one morning several months after they'd moved in.

"So when's the house-warming?" Gwen asked that same morning, which obviously prompted a gathering of their closest friends and family. They'd been so busy with getting their house in order and so involved in each other that Ianto hadn't found the time to tell his family their wedding news, so they decided to combine the house warming with a belated wedding reception.

As the party date came imminently closer, decorations, party food and invitations were all arranged. Ianto went so far as to print a wedding picture of them at the Altar onto a cake, while cueing the other pictures into a presentation they could stream to their living room projector.

Party day arrived, and people appeared in dribs and drabs. Ianto's family came first, his sister, her husband and his niece and nephew. Next to arrive was Martha and Tom, Gwen and Rhys, followed by Andy Davidson. Strangely, Jack had invited the Doctor, and though he didn't expect him to turn up, he did send a gift.

Jack had also invited his own daughter and his grandson. Alice had called him, telling him she wanted no part of his life, if he chose to share it with a man young enough to be her son; but she was begrudgingly okay with Jack spending time with Stephen.

Alice dropped Stephen off, but didn't enter the house, which saddened Jack a little.

Surrounded by friends and family, they gave a tour of their finished home followed by food, the wedding photos, cake and dancing.

Rhiannon, being a hopeless romantic orchestrated Jack and Ianto's first dance, with some intervention from Ianto on music choice. Gwen and Martha took photos throughout the afternoon.

Later, still swaying in each other's arms Jack kissed Ianto's lips softly if a little sloppily.

"I'm so glad you agreed to marry me, organising all this; the house, the party. I love you."

Smiling as he looked into Jack's eyes, he sighed, a little drunk, a little tired from the day's excitement.

"I love you too!"

"When can we move this party on?"

"Only Gwen & Rhys and Martha to go. And Martha's staying in the attic, so we can be as noisy as we like."

Planting a kiss, Jack pulled away unsteadily, "Let's clear this joint, 'cos there are things I've got planned for you."

Retreating to the kitchen, Jack slapped Ianto's arse.

It took 25 minutes to call Rhys and Gwen a taxi and find sheets and towels for Martha and Tom.

Ianto moved towards the trestle table after locking the front door behind Gwen, to start clearing up, but Jack intercepted, tackling him around the waist, hauling Ianto over his shoulder in a fireman's lift to bed.


	21. and so we interlude with the Doctor

Thank you for bearing with me with this story...those of you who are still reading it anyway. I know it's been a while, but I've been busy trying to finish off two other fics that have been ongoing too. But all my efforts will be on this last one now. Then I'll have to think up some fresh ideas!

Hope you enjoy, and I think this might be the longest chapter I've written so far. Taken from Stolen Earth & Journey's End from Series 4 of Doctor Who.

Lady Jane -x-

**21 The world's been moved...and so we interlude with the Doctor**

Another normal day at Torchwood for our three friends. Well it was until it felt like the whole earth shook beneath their feet.

At first he thought it was a deep rumble from his stomach, but it escalated, encompassing his whole body. It was as the mug he was looking at on the desk in front of him started to jump violently towards the edge of table oblivion that Ianto realised they were experiencing what felt like an earthquake. Unusual, but not rare, given the Rift that ran through Cardiff even though they didn't sit on a tectonic fault line.

Ianto watched in slow motion as first his mug, then Gwen and himself fell to the floor in a huddled pile. Chairs, paperwork, and basically anything not nailed or strapped down tumbled to the floor, littering their surroundings, some falling on top of them both.

The whole event lasted 30-40 seconds, and Ianto was reminded of the day Abaddon rose up to take over the world. Pieces of concrete rubble fell in places from wall and ceiling structures.

"Whoa! What happened? Was it the Rift? Ianto, Gwen, you ok?" shouted Jack's familiar voice.

"No broken bones. Slight loss of dignity. No change there then," Ianto replied as he attempted to pull himself safely out from under his wheelie desk chair. He made an attempt to dust the dust from his suit, until he saw Jack looking less than serviceable himself.

"The whole city must've felt that...the whole of South Wales!"

Ianto could see Jack's adventurous head slip into place at the mention of 'the whole of south Wales'. Ianto could even have predicted Jack's next sentence.

"I'm gonna take a look outside."

Deeming it safer to remain indoors, Ianto shot to a computer terminal, punching up the quakes information.

"Little bigger than South Wales!" Ianto muttered, a little shocked at what he saw on screen. The computer had tapped into data feed from the aluminium satellites that circled the earth daily. Normally there wasn't much to tell, but today? Today the data was, quite frankly, overwhelming, even to someone used to dealing with aliens every day.

No moon or sun, just 26 other planets. Some big, some small, all within orbiting distance of where the moon should be. According to the telemetry some planets had life forms very similar to Earth.

Jack returned not long later, a shocked expression on his face, struggling to describe what he'd witness in the night sky above. Especially as it had been a light blue morning sky not an hour before, when they'd travelled in together.

Jack asked about Gwen, not seeing her anywhere on the lower level of the Hub.

"She's calling Rhys. He's a little panicked."

"Understandable," Jack answered, "let's search all communication data we can get out hands on. Scan all media as well, see how people are coping with this."

Ianto did as he was asked, getting caught up watching the Paul O'Grady show. No one put current event into context like the comedian. Distracted from the end of the world, Ianto snorted out a laugh at something the presenter said, earning a disapproving look from Jack.

"Ianto. Time and place."

Laughing, on the verge of histrionics, Ianto replied, "He is funny though."

"Everything will be fine Ianto," Jack promised, concern marring his brow as he caught Ianto in a hug.

"Who could have done this? Why?"

"I don't know, but we'll work it out. The Doctor will come."

"You don't know that. He didn't come to wish you well on the civil ceremony."

"He doesn't do sentiment, but if we're in trouble he will always come."

Something beeped, popping up on Ianto's computer screen.

"Gwen," shouted Jack, "come and see!"

"Someone's established an atmospheric shell, keeping the air and holding in the heat."

"Whoever's done this wants the Human race alive. That's a plus...27 planets including the Earth."

The monitor displayed all 26 planets and one large blinking red dot, hidden among them.

"No, but what's that? That's not a planet. And it's moving closer to Earth...3,000 miles and closing, but who are they?"

Suddenly, as if in answer Jack's mobile phone vibrated in his pocket, chiming its factory setting ring tone. Ianto couldn't get him to change it. He'd tried when Jack had left it lying around, but Jack always changed it back. Looking at the display Jack genuinely smiled for the first time all day.

"Martha Jones! Voice of a nightingale. Tell me you put something in my drink," he tried to joke as she answered.

"No such luck. Have you heard from the Doctor?"

"Not a word yet. Not since the wedding gift he sent us. Where are you?"

"New York."

"Oh, nice for some."

"I've been promoted. Medical Director on Project Indigo."

"Did you get that thing working?"

"Indigo's top secret. No one's supposed to know about it."

"I met a soldier in a bar. Long story."

Ianto rolled his eyes, but wanted to know more.

"When was that?" Ianto arched one eye brow faking suspiciousness.

"Strictly professional," Jack replied stoically as Martha laughed on the other end of the line.

Jack mouthed, 'later' before Gwen interrupted.

"1,500 miles boys and accelerating. They're almost here."

"Stay on the line Martha. This could get interesting."

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" came a metallic message broadcast on every available frequency. Jack could hear the same message echo down the other end of the phone.

"Oh no," murmured Jack, losing all the colour in his face. Ianto would have said he'd gone as white as a sheet, but Jack had gone whiter than that every time he died.

"What is it?" Ianto prompted gently, "Who are they?"

Watching Jack, Ianto instantly knew Jack knew who was behind 27 planets being moved to a different galaxy. Then Ianto remembered a story Jack had told him on their travels; about how Jack had ended up immortal. His initial death had been by a race of metallic tin cans spouting a phrase – 'Exterminate'.

Despairingly, tears and fear filling his eyes, Jack put his arms around Ianto, then Gwen, kissing Gwen on the forehead, and Ianto on the lips, waiting for the inevitable.

"There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry. We're dead."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

They listened as the Earth's only airborne defence, the Valiant, was attacked. Listened as one by one different cities were attacked until a pattern emerged.

"Martha! Get out of there!"

"I can't Jack. I've got a job to do."

"They're attacking military bases, and you're next on the list."

Over the phone, afraid for his friend's safety, Jack listened as Martha was ordered to use Project Indigo and authorised to use the Osterhagan key.

Jack pleaded with her not to initiate the project, but his plea fell on deaf ears.

"Bye Jack."

"Martha! Don't do it! Don't!"

Then she was gone, and the phone line went dead. Jack kicked a table in frustration.

"Jack! Calm down, please! Tell me what Project Indigo is."

"Experimental teleport. Salvaged from the Sontarans. But they haven't got coordinates or stabilisation."

"So where is she now?" Ianto asked, trying to stay calm himself, and patient.

"Scattered into Atoms. Martha's down."

Gwen, Ianto and Jack consoled themselves over the new of their fallen friend and comrade. For the first time ever Jack looked defeated. He slumped down on a step leading into the medical, trying to curl up on himself. Ianto sat almost crushed between Jack's legs to begin with, caught in a fierce hug. He felt a little bit like the stuffed bear a toddler hugged after a nightmare to make them feel better. Ianto sat there for so long, but in the end had to find something to do that involved more than sitting down, internal organs bursting out from his throat.

Getting up he moved Gwen aside from a computer station to gain control of the keyboard. For hours they'd listened to the cries for help coming from all corners of the globs until the computer screen flickered, and static appeared.

"Someone's trying to get in touch," said Gwen stating the obvious for Jack's benefit.

Dejected, Jack remained in his upright foetal position, answering, "The whole world's crying out. Just leave it."

"CAPTAIN JACK HARKNESS! SHAME ON YOU! NOW STAND TO ATTENTION SIR!" shouted an irate voice over the comm.

Ianto had only ever seen Jack move that quickly when he was chasing him for sex.

"What? Who is that?"

The white static image cleared to show the familiar face of one Harriet Jones, in her living room, flashing her ID card.

"Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister," she promptly informed them.

"Yeah. I know who you are," Jack smiled as he replied, a gentle nod towards the screen acknowledging her. They'd all been waiting for something, and Jack could sense Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister had a plan.

Ianto slipped his hand into his husband's, a reassuring grasp; acknowledgement that they wouldn't let the world go to hell without a bloody good fight. They watched as another face joined Harriet's on their screen. Ianto and Gwen had no idea who the other person was, but one look at Jack's face showed he knew them.

Although Jack had never met Sarah Jane Smith, he'd read UNIT reports and listened to stories the Doctor told about her when they'd travelled together.

The last face to show on screen filled the whole Torchwood team with relief and happiness. It was the face of Martha Jones.

"Thank God Martha!" Ianto exclaimed before either of the others could get a word in.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Harriet Jones gave a brief introduction about every individual on screen, highlighting that all concerned had once been a companion to the Doctor. Ianto was fascinated that all these normal, unassuming individuals had all travelled with the infamous Doctor, and were now willing to lay down their lives to contact him, in order to try to save the Earth. Part of this whole scenario seemed very unrealistic in his opinion.

It also seemed that, as much as Ianto was used to Jack's behaviour, watching him flirt with a woman who appeared to have a teenage son, and looked to be in her mid-forties/early fifties, seemed to increase the weirdness of this whole thing.

Harriet didn't appear to be someone who would keep her opinions to herself, and Ianto was proved right as she reprimanded Jack on his flirtatious behaviour, though Sarah Jane Smith appeared very happy with the compliment she was given.

With the pleasantries over with, everyone listened hard about the Sub wave Network, that was allowing them to communicate without being detected by the Daleks. Listening to the details Harriet bestowed, Ianto realised the network was based on Torchwood One equipment, found while Ianto had been working for them. At the heart of the machine was a sentient piece of kit that sought out anyone who could help contact the Doctor in their time of need. By all accounts the equipment had been scavenged post Dalek/Cyberman war, then recreated by a company called the Mr Copper Foundation.

There was talk about an Osterhagen key, but Harriet immediately dismissed that idea, stating it should not be used under any circumstances. This concerned Jack and Ianto, as the tone of her voice indicated the key was a world game changer.

The topic of conversation changed from the key to the more important issue of finding the Doctor. If the Daleks were involved then their only option was to locate the Doctor to try and gain back control of their planet.

"But I've been trying to find him. The Doctor's got my phone on the TARDIS, but I can't get through," said Martha, in a concerned tone.

"That's why we need the Sub wave. To bring us all together, combine forces. The Doctor's Secret Army."

"Sounds a bit like Harry Potter to me," muttered Ianto under his breath. Only Gwen heard what he said, and tried to keep a straight face.

"Wait a minute...we boost the signal! That's it! We transmit that telephone number through Torchwood itself, using all the power of the Rift..."

When Jack had time, and put in the effort, his ideas were out of this world, and as he'd already gone into 'Doctor Adventure' mode, his IQ leaped off the page. Not that Jack wasn't intelligent, but it increased tenfold when it involved the Doctor.

"And we've got Mr Smith! He can link up with every telephone exchange on the Earth. He can get the whole world to call the same number, all at the same time! Billions of phones, calling out, all at once!"

"Haha, brilliant! Who's the kid?"

"That's my son!" exclaimed Sarah Jane.

Jack paled ever so slightly when he found the nature of the young kid's relationship to Sarah Jane. He even had the shame to blush and send an apologetic look in Ianto's direction, who just raised an eyebrow, before he stepped in front of the web cam.

"Excuse me, sorry, sorry. Hello, Ianto Jones."

"Harkness-Jones!" corrected Jack loudly, causing Ianto to blush this time, but he ploughed on with what he'd meant to say, "Um, if we start transmitting, then this Sub wave Network is going to become visible. I mean, to the Daleks."

"Yes, and they'll trace it back to me. But my life doesn't matter. Not if it saves the Earth."

A wave of sadness overcame everyone involved in the Sub wave Network conference call. After all Harriet had done in her life, no one could have predicted she would sacrifice herself to help aid the Doctor and his companions.

"Ma'am." As a mark of respect for her future sacrifice, Jack stood to attention, saluting her.

"Thank you, Captain. But there are people out there dying on the streets. Now enough of words. Let's begin!"

It took several long minutes for everyone to work things on their end, but after a lot of coordinated organisation the Doctor's Secret Army combined the world's telephone network resources, added to the already powerful Sub wave network, channelled by Mr Smith, to call the Doctor. One powerful telephone signal was beamed out into space.

"Harriet! A saucer's locked on to your location, they've found you..."

"I know. I'm using the Network to mask your transmission. Keep going!"

The Daleks infamous battle cry could be heard in the background of Harriet's transmission.

"Captain, I'm transferring the Sub wave Network to Torchwood. You're in charge now. And tell the Doctor from me...he chose his companions well. It's been an honour."

She stood to face the three Daleks smashing their way into her home. In true Harriet Jones style, she flashed her ID card to her enemy. Like a shield against evil she proudly informed them of her name and former occupation before the Daleks did as they promised, and exterminated her.

As the laser hit her dead centre in the chest, she did not cry out. She was proud to be giving her life in an attempt to save Earth. That was her last thought.

The position where Harriet had been on the screen turned into static, but was soon replaced with the faces of Doctor and a ginger haired beauty.

"Where the hell have you been? Doctor, it's the Daleks!" Jack shouted at the screen as an immense feeling of relief flooded his system. He was pleased their efforts have not been wasted, and it felt as though the tables were going to turn.

Gwen's eyes immediately sparkled at the sight of this new man on their screen.

"He's a bit nice, I thought he'd be older."

Ianto, on the other hand, immediately took a disliking to the man that was going to solve all their problems. Yes he was good looking, and he wasn't as old as he'd expected. He looked younger than Jack, but older than himself. The one thing that struck Ianto was the confidence, maybe even cockiness that surrounded the Doctor like an aura. It instantly put Ianto on edge, which turned Ianto into a little green monster.

"He's not that young."

The Doctor's Secret Army had been held together in the last few minutes by the promise of finding that Doctor that they hadn't thought about what they would say when they eventually did find him, so they each tried to tell him their story, but all at the same time; which meant that all he managed to hear was Daleks...spaceship...and that was it, until the Doctor and Donna disappeared from their screens again.

Things moved swiftly after that.

"Gwen, Dalek saucer heading for the Bay. They've found us."

Somehow Ianto knew Jack would leave again. Even though he promised he wouldn't, even though their nuptials had hinged on their promise never to leave each other, Ianto could sense this may be the end for both of them. With the Daleks looming, trying to extinguish all connections humans had to the Doctor, Ianto listened to Jack talking to Martha on the phone.

"Open the Indigo device...Now listen to me. Lift the central panel, there's a string of numbers that keep changing. But the fourth number keeps oscillating between two different digits. Tell me what they are."

Ianto couldn't hear her reply, but Jack talked through the two numbers as he programmed them into his wrist strap. Knowing it was inevitable, Ianto found Jack's coat and helped him get it on.

"Yeah, that's the teleport base code. And that's all I need to get this thing working again! Oscillating four...and nine. Thank you Martha Jones!"

Hanging up, Jack accepted the Webley that Gwen handed to him.

"I've gotta go. I've gotta find the Doctor. I'll come back," he spoke to them both. Jack hugged Gwen first, then moved over to Ianto.

"Don't worry about us," said Gwen, determined to keep her voice as confident as she could. She had no idea if Jack had heard about the UFO saucer heading in their direction, but given his preoccupation, she doubted it. She was determined to keep Ianto company and happy, just to keep him safe for Jack's return.

Ianto kept his expression blank. He didn't want to be the person who stopped Jack from doing what he wanted to do.

"Just go. We'll be fine."

Jack pulled Ianto into a hug, whispering 'I love you' into his ear. Swiftly he kissed him on the lips.

"You better be fine, and I'm coming back!"

Ianto closed his eyes briefly, sending up a prayer, then smiled weakly.

"Go help to Doctor, save the world. You're good at that."

Jack pressed his wrist strap buttons and teleported out of the Hub. A moment later the Hub shook, as the Daleks made their way into the building.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!"

"They're here," announced Gwen, pointing out the obvious. Gwen disappeared, to return a few minutes later with two machine guns and extra ammo. She handed one to Ianto.

"But they don't work against Daleks!"

"Yeah? Well I'm going out fighting. Like Owen. Like Tosh. How about you?"

"Yes ma'am."

The cog door rolled open under protest, and both Gwen and Ianto readied their guns and opened fire.


	22. Exterminate! And other interesting convo

**22. Exterminate! And other interesting conversation topics**

We left our heroine and hero in the midst of opening fire on a Dalek determined to exterminate them out of existence...

...The bullets kept flying, but nothing happened. Both had their eyes closed, waiting for the inevitable, which was taking its damn time coming. Ianto peeked through one eyelid to track the progress of his impending doom, which appeared to be stuck in mid-air...which didn't make much sense.

"GWEN!" Ianto shouted over the noise of her rifle continuing to fire. The firing stopped and an eerie silence fell as both people took in the scene in front of them.

Cautiously they walked forward, still with weapons primed to fire.

Even in their world, seeing bullets they had fired hanging in space, almost like they had been stopped by an invisible wall, came as a bit of a shock. Gwen reached out slowly to touch a single bullet, but she was unable to reach it. Her finger did cause a ripple in the...whatever it was.

"What the hell...?"

They took a minute to get used to the idea of still being alive, though they were still very much aware of the threat the Dalek still posed. In unison they moved towards the nearest computer terminal, one keeping an eye on their enemy while the other booted up the scanners within the Hub. The answer to what stopped the bullets and Dalek became clear within minutes.

"It's a Time Lock! The ultimate defence programme. Tosh was working on it, never thought she finished it, but she did! The Hub's sealed in a time bubble, nothing can get in," said Ianto in amazement. His chest swelled with pride at his lost friend, and her genius mind.

"But that means we can't get out."

"Nope. Not without unlocking that Dalek. We're trapped inside. It's all up to Jack now."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Several hours later...

"Since we've finished all the work we can do, given the space we've got to move in, why don't we talk?" asked Gwen hesitantly.

In his head, Ianto pulled a face and told her to forget about it, in one of those cheesy American accents, but being the nice person he was, he didn't have the heart to tell her to get lost. Instead he took a mental deep breath saying;

"What do you want to talk about Gwen?"

She clearly had a topic in mind, but insisted on umming and ahhhing about it.

"How's married life?" she asked somewhat innocently, after eventually deciding on one.

"Married life is good, thank you. How are things with Rhys?" Ianto hit the conversation ball back into her court.

"Things are going well," she said, "he's been talking about children, but I keep putting off the conversation."

"Don't you want to have children?" asked Ianto. Willing to draw her into conversation, if it meant his own life could be glazed over. Ianto was still a little tentative about discussing his private life with Gwen.

"Of course I did-do! Before I started working here. But now there is a certain element of danger in my daily life, how can I think about starting a family? If I died, then I would be leaving Rhys and a son or daughter alone."

Ianto felt for Gwen for the first time in a while. He hadn't given much thought to family beyond himself and Jack, and their already largely extended family. To think that Gwen had been together with Rhys for so long, and they'd never discussed children and the implications they would have on their life.

"Do you think you and Jack would ever consider a family of your own?"

"I don't know," Ianto answered honestly, "I haven't really had time to think about any additions to our family."

"And Jack?"

"He's had children before. I've met his daughter and we've both met his grandson at our housewarming party. Conscionably, could I put Jack through another possible estrangement with a family he loves, if I die? And what happens when the child gets older and Jack doesn't? What do we say then?"

Ianto ran out of air after venting thoughts he hadn't encountered before.

Witnessing Ianto's outburst, Gwen began to regret starting this thread of conversation for bringing up ground she should be covering with Rhys. She laid a hand on Ianto's forearm, conjuring words of support meant for them both.

"You'll talk about it eventually. You're still young, and Jack's in no rush…"

"Thanks Gwen," Ianto honestly meant his gratitude.

To brighten their gloomy mood, Gwen thought she'd ask a fun question.

"So…what's Jack like in the bedroom department?"

As Ianto rolled his eyes, Gwen added, "You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

18 hours they were stuck in the Hub. They spent the remainder of their time chatting easier than they had ever done before. They both took some time to nap. One, then the other of them standing guard, just in case the time bubble popped and the Dalek continued its attack.

It was while Ianto was making another round of coffee and Gwen was scrounging through the cupboards in an attempt to find sugary treats, that it happened.

A loud noise, followed by an explosion that folded in on itself. The Dalek frozen in time exploded outwards, but all the fire and debris was captured, safely wrapped up by the time bubble, and thrown back at itself, effectively containing it. There was a short electrical explosion from across the room, and the time bubble shimmered then disappeared.

"There goes the Time Lock!"

It took a while, but there was a noise from one of the computer monitors after the explosion. Ianto was desperate for Jack to make contact, but he knew that he would return, as promised.

"Torchwood Hub! This is the Doctor! Are you receiving me?" came a sharp London accent from one of the computers. Both individuals dropped what they were doing, some more delicately than others, rushing towards the voice.

"Loud and clear!" said Gwen

"Is Jack there?" asked Ianto anxiously, pushing himself next to Gwen so he could be seen on the monitor. He'd been trying not to think about what Jack could possibly be doing in an attempt to save the world, but he needed to know that he was alright. Just because Jack couldn't stay permanently injured, didn't mean that Ianto cared any less.

"Can't get rid of him! Jack, what's her name?"

"Gwen Cooper."

"Tell me, Gwen Cooper, are you from an old Cardiff family?"

**"**Yes, all the way back to the 1800s!"

_The Doctor and Rose watched Gwen, then looked at each other with __huge grins on their faces, a silent agreement passing between them._

**"**Yeah, thought so, spatial genetic multiplicity."

"Oh yeah!"

**"**Yeah, yeah, funny old world... Now, Torchwood, I want you to open up that Rift Manipulator. Send all the power to me."

**"**Doing it now, sir!"

**"**What's that for?"

**"**It's a tow-rope. Now then, Sarah, what was your son's name?"

**While the others spoke to Luke and Mr Smith, Jack called Ianto on his mobile phone.**

**"****Hey."**

**"****Hey."**

**"****How are you holding up?"**

**"****Not too bad. Though I have been stuck here with Gwen, and a distinct lack of sugary treats."**

**"****I'm sorry. I'll remember to bring some on the way back. Did the Daleks try to attack the Hub?" **

**"****It's a long story, but I'll tell you later."**

**They could see each other, and read each others lips, if they were so inclined, but it was nice to be able to talk without being heard. Gwen had subtly walked away to give Ianto some privacy.**

**"****Come back safe Jack, and I love you."**

**"****You stay safe too, and I'll see you when we manage to get the Earth back into its rightful place in the galaxy."**

Not long after Ianto put the phone down, they experienced another jolt under foot, an indication that Mr Smith and the power of the Rift were doing their job. Ianto and Gwen held on tightly to each other, laughing and cheering at the success of everyone involved. They were not sure what had gone on, as things were a little difficult to monitor within the time bubble, but for the first time since Gwen had started working for Torchwood, Ianto and Gwen had enjoyed each other's company.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto didn't hear from Jack again until the following morning...or night...or whatever time it was supposed to be, with quick changes in the sky, from darkness to light.

Anxiety mounted within Ianto as each minute passed, waiting for contact. He fell asleep in the Jack's bunker, and was rudely awakened by the ring of his mobile phone.

"Hey it's me! The Doc dropped us off in London. Is there any way you can come get me? I'll stay at Martha's tonight, but can you come in the morning?"

Thrilled but exhausted, Ianto agreed to head out at first light, on the long journey along the M4 to the country's capital. Ianto slipped back into sleep with a smile on his face.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"So...who was the guy staying with you and Martha? Where's Tom?"

"Ah...interesting story really. Tom couldn't quite understand why Martha had to move away to America, so they ended their relationship. Interesting thing about that is that the guy who you saw coming out of her room was Mickey. I used to know him, and his girlfriend at the time, Rose, when we travelled with the Doctor. Looks like they may have the hots for each other, or it was just a post adrenaline thing."

"He travelled with the Doctor? I'm surprised. He doesn't seem the type. I'm also surprised that you didn't ask to join in."

"I'm a one man...woman, doesn't sound right, but you get what I mean, and I only have eyes for you. Martha doesn't seem the type either, but there we go. The Doctor seems to attract all sorts."

"I didn't expect the Doctor to look so normal either."

Jack laughed.

"What did you expect? Green skin and tentacles?"

"Not for him to look so handsome."

"Jealous?"

"Only because he met you before I did. And that he has such a hold over you."

"Hold? What hold?"

"'He calls, and you come running' hold?"

"In order to save the world! If it hadn't have been life and death, I wouldn't have gone! It's a good job that I left when I did or things might have ended differently."

"Meaning?"

Jack proceeded to detail all the events surrounding his departure and subsequent saving of the world. The whole conversation happened while Ianto drove the car back on the uneventful road of the M4.

"You did an amazingly brave thing Jack, even if it put you in immense danger."

"You know me, I always come back."

"You wouldn't have done if you'd gotten caught in that Reality bomb calibration test. You would have been dust!" Ianto was overcome with emotion, making it difficult for him to see the road properly through the glaze of tears. At the earliest opportunity Ianto pulled the SUV over into a service station.

Jack could see Ianto trying to keep himself together, after realising he could have been killed for good, if he'd been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He desperately wanted to console him, but knew that getting them off the road was the best option.

Pulling into a parking bay, Ianto turned the key, shutting off the engine. He threw his arms over the steering wheel, leaning forward to rest his head against them. From there the tears fell on their own. Looking back, Ianto could never be certain if part of it was the thought of losing Jack, or the turmoil of the last 24 hours.

Jack felt awkward for a moment as he watched his husband shed tears over him. They weren't tears of anguish, or sadness, or anger, just tears. He laid his hand between Ianto's shoulders, rhythmically rubbing circles in an attempt to calm him, and stop the flow of tears. Halted, shuddering breaths tore at Jack's heart strings as, at last, he evaluated his actions and their consequences to the people he loved.

"I'm so sorry I scared you. It must have been difficult, watching what was going on overhead, and not being able to do anything about it. It scared you, knowing what could have happened. I'm sorry I caused that fear. I realise that he does have a hold. When he calls I do run in to help, to be part of the action. I miss that sometimes, because he means a lot to me. He helped put me on the straight and narrow, and I got to meet you as a result. And for that I will always be grateful, but it stops now. As of today, if he rings, I won't go running. I belong with you know, and that's all that matters. I love you so much, and nothing is going to come in between that."

The short, trembling breaths became more controlled, and longer, while Ianto's back stopped shaking underneath Jack's hand. The gear stick separated them, so Jack couldn't pull Ianto close.

Calmer, Ianto raised his head from the wheel. A little embarrassed at his outburst, Ianto quickly swiped at the wetness trailing down his cheeks. The steering wheel was covered in salty tears, and he attempted to rub them away with the sleeve of his jacket.

Jack watched with some interest as Ianto tried to compose himself, then, seeing the compulsive need to swipe the leather material clean, halted Ianto's arm.

"Let's grab something to drink. I haven't had a fix of coffee yet today, and I'm sure you could use some."

Reluctantly Ianto followed Jack out of the car, but very little was said. Jack, realising that he had forgotten to grab any money, had to rely on Ianto to foot the bill of coffee chain drinks. He grabbed a muffin and a cookie as well. They could both do with the carbs and sugar.

Leaning against the bonnet of the SUV, each man sipped at their mediocre coffee, splitting the baked goods between them. Jack grabbed Ianto's hand as they finished their drinks, pulling him under his coat. Ianto wrapped his arms around Jack's waist, resting one cheek over Jack's heart. Jack laid his lips along Ianto's hairline, warming his skin.

Their contact became more heated, gaining themselves some unwanted attention from passersby. Swiftly they moved their reunion to the back seat and boot of their vehicle, giving them enough room to spread out. As the back windows were blacked out, and all other windows tinted, it afforded them sufficient privacy.

Gone was the apprehension of public displays of affection. It was known, in Torchwood, that Jack and Ianto regularly went on Weevil hunts, and only just before Owen's ultimate death, had the Weevil hunts actual been anything more than capturing a Weevil. But their nightly liaisons had been under the cover of darkness, when there were very few people about. This was in the middle of the day, in a car park full of travelling motorists, in full view of CCTV cameras, but this was soon forgotten under the steam of passion and love.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto was so exhausted after their coupling, that Jack drove the rest of the journey home. He left Ianto sleeping in the back, covered in a blanket as he manoeuvred through traffic.

Jack still had no idea what had happened at the Hub since leaving it hours ago, but he had no doubt that he would find out.

Ianto's comment about the Doctor having a hold over him had come as a bit of a shock to Jack. The thing that amazed Jack was he had not considered Ianto or Gwen, when he'd made the decision to join the Doctor. He'd just gone, without a single thought. That was something Jack would always regret, but something that he wasn't going to let himself do again. It had been such a long time since he'd had another person to think about, that he just wasn't used to it. In all things, Ianto had to come first, should have always come first.

They'd been through so much together, lost so many people, even travelled the world together, but Jack had dropped him in favour of adventures with the Doctor.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto woke slowly, trying to figure out why the ground underneath him constantly swayed and jolted every so often. As he opened his eyes, he remembered he'd fallen asleep. For the car to be moving, Jack had to be driving, but Ianto stuck his hand out from under the blanket covering him, to feel for Jack's warmth anyway. Looking under the blanket draped over his chest, Ianto saw he was naked, and realised the futility of attempting to dress while in a moving car.

Hoisting himself up, Ianto looked towards the front seat.

Noticing the movement in the back, Jack looking in the rear view mirror, smiling at Ianto looking delectable and a little confused.

"We're almost home. About another 15 minutes."

"Are we going to the Hub or home?"

"I think we should go home first. Wouldn't want you to catch a chill in the draft of the Hub."

"Where are my clothes?"

"In the front seat. You looked so comfortable under the blanket, that it seemed a shame to surround you with wrinkled clothes."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Eventually reaching the Hub, Jack saw the destruction that had happened since he'd been gone.

"You guys have fun in here while I was gone?"

"If by fun you mean constantly watching an enemy to ensure it didn't exterminate us, and then watch it explode right in front of you. Not forgetting the fact that I'll have to clean up all the mess that it left behind, then yes. We had lots of fun."

"How was your incarceration with Gwen?" Jack asked as he emptied a carrier bag of biscuits and cookies into a drawer under the kitchen worktop.

"It went surprisingly well. We talked. Shared some home truths, something we haven't done, probably since she started working here."

"Anything interesting?" Jack probed.

"I don't think I should talk about it. I'm sure if she wants to talk to you about it then she will, but it's something that she needs to discuss with someone else first."

"Intriguing! You can't leave it there!"

"I can and I will! Now, are you going to help me clean up or are you just going to stand back and watch?"

"I'll help, just for a short time. Then there are things I could be doing, like watching you!"


	23. Children of Earth Day One

For those of you still sticking with this, I thought I'd let you know that there are only about 4 more chapters of this. They're in my head at the minute, but I've made quick progress with this chapter, so I envisage them moving reasonably swiftly.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 23 – Children of Earth Day One**

They lived happily, and in reasonable quiet for the next year. Life moved on.

Gwen and Rhys had their talk about children, but things were still up in the air. Gwen had promised that she would make a concerted effort to think more about family.

Jack made the decision not to replace Tosh, but slowly started looking into any likely candidates that could take over Owens old job. The tech stuff they could manage, as Ianto had started researching all of Tosh's old files, and found that he actually had quite a knack for working on alien artefacts.

Unfortunately none of them were very good at the first aid aspect their jobs demanded after dangerous missions, so that left no other option but to look for another Doctor.

It was while they were working on locating an alien hitchhiker, Ianto had happily named the Hitchoo, that they stumbled across a possible doctor match. The Hitchoo had settled itself inside an elderly gentleman, and they had been living in symbiosis, not that the gentleman knew. Though the Hitchoo had given Mr Williams several additional years, it was dying, hence why they were in the local hospitals A&E department, awaiting a doctor.

"I don't think he's going to make it."

"Here comes the doctor now!"

"I'm sorry. We did everything we could, but I'm afraid he didn't make it."

"Oh that's a shame."

"Very sad."

"Poor old Mr Williams."

"Very sad indeed."

"There'll have to be an autopsy, but I'd say his heart gave out."

"Brave old heart," announced Ianto, laying it on a little thick by trying his best to produce a tearful gaze.

"You were neighbours, is that right?"

"We live next door."

"He's got no family to speak of. All on his own. We'd just keep an eye on him, you know?"

"Well, I'm sure he appreciated it. If only there were more like ...you two in the world."

"I know it's an imposition, but with us being such good neighbours... Can we see the body?"

The doctor, Dr Rupesh Patinjali led them to where Mr Williams was being held. Drawing the curtain aside, Rupesh ushered Jack and Ianto to see the recently deceased.

"Bless him."

"God rest his soul."

"Say, d'you think we could, er...? Just on our own, um..."

"Course you can. Just come and find me, once you're done. And I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

The doctor closed the curtain behind him, giving them the privacy he thought they needed. The sad, upset faces both Ianto and Jack had been sporting vanished as the closed curtain settled around the cubicle. They both sprang into action. Ianto unpacked the toolkit, while Jack waited for his tools.

"He thought we were together. He said, 'You two.' The way he said it, huh. 'You two.'" Ianto's expression became dreamy, if not a little sarcastic to see if he could push Jack's buttons.

"Well, we are married. Does it matter?"

"I dunno, I just liked the way it sounded in his accent, that's all. Sometimes it's still hard to believe that we've been married a year. Laser saw."

"Thank you."

Jack controlled the laser saw, cutting into the old man's abdomen, creating a gaping wound.

"Tongs."

"Tongs."

Jack stuck the tongs in the stomach hole, moving it around like a professional.

"Almost..."

Ianto looked around, wondering if and when they would get caught, or if they'd get away scot free. However knowing the history of Torchwood, Ianto believed that they only had a minute or two before the doctor returned.

"...got it."

The curtain was suddenly wrenched open again by Dr Patinjali, and the look on Ianto's face was priceless.

"Sorry, one more th…ing…"

Jack whipped out a gross blobby organic sack thing from the hole in the abdomen, lying on the table.

"There!" Jack proclaimed with pride, brandishing what he considered a prize.

"What?" exclaimed the doctor, very shocked and confused.

Jack always hated confrontations with civilian busybodies. There was always surprised, confusion and disbelief. Sometimes they got a little hysterical, which took more time to control, but all those emotions took time. Time Jack didn't have to try and explain what he was doing. What Jack enjoyed the most was stumping said individuals with lots of obvious facts to further confuse them.

"Now, look at it, that's not human, is it, does that look human? No, it does not. It's just a hitchhiker he picked up, it didn't kill him."

Following Jack's lead, which came naturally to him, Ianto jumped in with some additional information to try to settle the bemused face.

"Some say they're positively beneficial, they release endorphins into the bloodstream. He died a happy man. And I've got Tupperware."

Ianto presented the plastic container to Jack, who promptly dropped the Hitchoo inside, leaving Ianto to seal it.

"And we're very considerate, we don't leave any mess."

Back in control of the Laser saw, Jack sealed up the gaping great wound, leaving no visible scar on the skin, or the muscular tissues underneath.

"Thank you very much."

Time being of the essence, Jack and Ianto moved quickly to leave the building, now their job was done. As they zipped past Rupesh Ianto left a parting message.

"We'll just get out of your way."

The Doctor didn't move, still frozen with his mouth open. Both men were down the other end of the hospital corridor before Rupesh could get his voice back.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute!"

Because of their head start it took until they were outside the hospital for Rupesh to catch up and catch their attention. Jack and Ianto strode off unconcerned that a man was chasing them, shouting for their attention.

"Whatever it was, that was mutilation. I should report you."

"Then why don't you?" Jack dared him.

"But that thing, what the hell was it, that hitchhiker?"

Ianto unlocked the SUV with a *beep-beep*.

"Try putting it into a report." Jack retorted.

"You're Torchwood?"

"Never heard of 'em."

Jack slammed his car door, forcing Rupesh to run up shouting through window.

"There are bodies going missing!"

Intrigued by the blatant statement, Jack wound down the window.

"How many?"

"This whole city talks about you."

"Get to the point! What bodies, where?"

"It started two months ago. Bodies, taken down to the mortuary, then the records just stop. Five of them. Five in two months. And none of them white. One of West Indian decent, one African, three Chinese, all male."

"What was your name again?"

"Rupesh. Rupesh Patanjali."

"What d'you think?" Jack consulted Ianto, almost knowing the answer.

"NHS," was all Ianto had to say. The national health service had caused them so many problems in the past, that one mention of them was all it took to make Jack hesitant to get involved.

"Yeah. Too much red tape. Sorry. But good luck with it!"

Ianto stuck the stick into gear and tore out of the car park leaving the doctor to shout after them. Looking back in the rear view mirror Ianto said, "Maybe we could look into his past, he may have potential."

"It's almost as if you read my mind. We'll start when we get back."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The guys were laughing and joking as they entered the Hub.

"You are gonna get us killed!"

"No, you get killed, not me. You'd die like a dog, like a gorgeous, loveable, dog, but a dog none the less."

"Oi, Chuckle Brothers! I found something."

"How rude! Yeah, well I want a check on St Helen's Hospital, specifically the morgue."

"Well there's a computer, do it yourself."

"What's the matter with you?"

Ianto chuckled, pleased that Gwen had finally stopped letting Jack take advantage of her kindness. His chuckling stopped, however, when Jack threw his coat blindly in Ianto's direction. Ianto's brow marred causing Jack to pull out his tongue.

"Meanwhile I've been getting reports this morning of 17 road traffic accidents, happening right across the country, all the way from Glasgow to St Ives," announced Ianto, determined to keep the little professionalism he had left in this situation.

"Is that above average?"

Jack admitted defeat, when no one answered him. Walking to a computer terminal he logged in. Ianto only started talking when Jack was half way through entering his password.

"Well, they all occurred between 8.40 and 8.41. 17 road traffic accidents happening in exactly the same minute? And every single one of them involving children."

Ianto draped Jack's coat over the back of a chair while he continued to read.

"That'll be the school run."

"All of them were just standing in the road. Not crossing the road, just standing. I saw it myself, Jack. Two kids on Market Street. Well, they just stopped."

"Same reports from France."

"15 road traffic accidents. All timed around 9.40. They're an hour ahead, so it was simultaneous."

"All involving children?"

"Yup. Hold on, still cross-referencing. Here we go. Reports coming in. RTA's in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg."

"Spain. Portugal. Bosnia. Tokyo."

"Seen anything like this before, Jack?"

"No way. Kids?"

And so a mystery started to unfold.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Thousands of reports throughout the world, all involving children stopping dead, unmoving for several minutes had Jack contacting many people in a short space of time. He left Ianto and Gwen to continue working while he escaped to his office. This was one place that Jack always loved to watch Ianto work from. He was just wrapping up a call as Gwen walked in.

"OK, find out anything, let me know immediately," jack replied before replacing the handset in its cradle.

"Of all the times for Martha Jones to go on holiday. I get Sergeant Grunt. I'm talking to a sergeant!" Jack addressed Gwen.

"Don't you dare phone her, she's on her honeymoon."

As Jack's last dealings with Martha had been an invitation to her marriage to Mickey Smith, he'd known she was away, but had hoped that the child crisis would have forced her to come back to civilisation.

"What did Sgt Grunt have to say?

"UNIT base in Washington has run some tests on a couple of kids. Brain scans, blood sugar, checking for radiation. Nothing."

Interrupting, Ianto ran into the office full pelt.

"You were right! He's back!"

"Ha! Ha! I said so!"

"No you didn't! It was my idea to do this anyway!"

Jack got up to look at the computers, with Gwen trailing behind, wondering what was going on.

"Who's back?"

Rupesh was wandering around the Plas as they watched the monitor.

"What's he doing?"

"Waiting. Just like you said. He's been there 20 minutes."

"Persistent."

"Good sign."

"Dogmatic."

"Always a plus."

Boy did they enjoy batting words at each other, especially when she was in the dark about their conversation, thought Gwen.

"Oh, Christ, never work with a couple - you two talk like twins! Now tell me who he is."

"Rupesh Patanjali. He saw the hitchhiker, he's the bodies-going-missing man."

"Dr Patanjali. Met him at the hospital. We need a doctor."

"What? You let just him follow you?"

"Ask about Torchwood, and most people point towards the Bay."

"Oh."

"You bastards, that's exactly what you did to me the first time we met! Well, sod that, I'm promoting myself to recruitment officer!"

Jack and Ianto gravitated towards each other, so they were standing together.

"I like doing that to Gwen."

"What?"

"Using reverse psychology, so she does all the work. Mostly so that I can do this."

Jack swooped, landing his lips smack bang in the centre of Ianto's.

"Jack! Get up here! Right now! It's happening again! The children!" Gwen shouted down the phone, after rudely interrupting a heavy make out session.

Ianto never quite knew how he did it, but Jack always managed to turn professional immediately upon being called from any make out or sex session. Usually he apologised after the fact, but for Jack, his head clicked into Captain mode, and he always appeared in his coat, no matter the occasion, or location.

"They're doing it again!" Jack shouted as he and Ianto aimed up onto the Plas.

"What's she doing? What's that noise?"

"I don't know!"

"Sasha! Stop it! Sasha! Please help her!" screamed the child's mother.

"There's another one!" Rupesh pointed out, "It's all right, it's all right, I'm a doctor."

The chanting children continued.

"Whoa!" said Ianto, weirdly impressed by what the children were doing.

"We are coming. We are coming. We are coming."

"Sasha, please, my God!" screamed the mother again.

"Who are you? Who's coming?"

Silence followed her question, and then the children blinked and asked questions about the strange people surrounding them.

"Come on then," the relieved mother lead her child away from the madness.

Drama over, Gwen, Ianto and Jack made a dramatic dash for the Tourist office. Rupesh attempted to follow but was stopped by Jack.

"Gwen, I'll get on to the Home Office. This thing has gone public. They're gonna need us. Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! Where'd you think you're going?"

"Um. I dunno. I could help."

"Doing what?"

"You're bleeping."

"Shit, yeah, sorry."

"Whole city's coming to a standstill, they're gonna need you in A&E."

"We'll get back to you, I promise."

"What's in there?"

"Big science-fiction superbase. Honestly! See ya."

Reluctantly Rupesh turned and hurried away.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

One of the most important calls Jack made that day was to the Home Office. Ianto was only able to hear Jack's end of the conversation, but it didn't appear to be going well. Jack was stuck at the first hurdle...Administrators.

"Just tell him it's Captain Jack Harkness, he'll take the call...Tell him it's ...You're working for the Home Office and you've never heard of Torchwood? Just what I need! Sorry. Not your fault. You picked a hell of a day. Listen, just tell him Torchwood, W-O-O-D. We might be able to help, OK? What was your name? Good luck to you, Lois Habiba."

"What was that about?"

"Trying to get in touch with John Frobisher, to get some more information about this whole thing, but it appears I got the new girl who has no idea who we are or what we do!"

"Should I try? Sometimes you can get a little...irate?"

"No I'll handle it. This situation is going to take some muscle...not that you don't have any, just that they've known me longer."

"Do you have a theory about what's happening to the children?"

"I think it's a transmission, a pulse, a broadcast."

"Like the Mosquito alarm – the one that only kids can hear."

"Something unique to pre-pubescents."

"Maybe testosterone interferes with the signal, and oestrogen..."

"Oh, no, no, no, hold on. We're being dumbos, we're missing the bleedin' obvious here, look," Gwen butted in, "this video was recorded in Taiwan. The point being? Anyone?"

"It's English."

"They're speaking English."

"Exactly! And all the footage is the same. So every single child in the whole wide world is speaking English, so why's that?"

"I guess if you scanned the Earth from the outside, you'd register English as the dominant language."

"Actually that would be Chinese - well, Mandarin. There's about a billion people speaking Mandarin. That's three times more than English."

"Always the knowledgeable one, aren't you?" muttered Jack.

"Oh, my God," Gwen exclaimed, as she spotted something on screen.

"What?"

"OK, ready? So every single child in the world is talking in unison, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Yup."

"Every single child... And one man."

The video was clearly taken by an amateur, but showed a man in his 50s or 60s doing exactly the same as the children. Staring blankly, chanting 'WE ARE COMING'.

"What the hell? Who's he?"

"Name's Timothy White. He's a patient in a psychiatric ward at the Duke Of York Hospital, East Grinstead."

"How did you get this footage?"

"Staff e-mailed it to the police. But every police force is swamped with mums and dads going absolutely mental, so it's just waiting in line. I reckon no-one else has noticed him yet."

"East Grinstead."

"That's what, two hours?"

"I'm on it!"

TWTWTWTWTTWTWTWTWTWTW

Given time to be alone, Jack asked Ianto out for lunch. The weather was fine, so they opted for a sandwich on the steps near the water tower. Ianto knew that lunch was code for 'let's talk', just with the addition of food. When they sat, Ianto opted to leave a sizeable gap between them.

"Lunch time. This place should be buzzing with kids."

"Everyone's taken them home."

"We need a child."

"What do you mean?" asked Ianto suspiciously.

"Cos we need to test those frequencies. Find the right frequency, and we can find out who's transmitting. What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing! Where do you get a child from anyway? I can find you lasers and weevils and hitchhikers. But kids...?"

"Don't gloss over it. It's not 'nothing'. I know we haven't really talked about children, and every time someone mentions them you seem to get very distant or excuse yourself from the room. What's going on?"

Ianto hadn't even realised he'd been doing that, and was a bit concerned it had been so obvious. Despite the fact they'd only been together about 2 years and friends for 2 before that, Jack knew Ianto far too well. Sighing, Ianto resigned himself to the fact that they were going to have this conversation, whether he liked it or not.

Ianto guessed if Jack wanted to talk, then he should just jump right in there. There was never any point in beating around the bush when Jack wanted to talk about something.

"Would you ever consider having more children?"

"I'm not sure. Do you feel that children are something that you want?"

"Sometimes I feel that there is something missing. Not all the time, just occasionally, and when I see David and Mica and how Rhi is with them in her life, I feel that I might be missing out on something. I'm just not sure if they're something we should consider, given out career choices."

"Is it because you think I'd be a bad father?"

"NO! No! I see how you are whenever Stephen or David and Mica are around. You're great with them, and they love you. I just don't want what happened between you and Alice to happen between any of our children. I don't want that to happen to us."

"That would never happen to us, I wouldn't let it."

"But it happened once before. What makes you so sure that it wouldn't happen again?"

"Lucia wasn't like you are. She was a good Torchwood field agent, but had a weak constitution. When we married and she found out she was pregnant, she wanted to hide Alice away. She didn't know about my immortality until I died one day, which just happened to be the day she gave birth. In fact, she only went into labour because I died. The grief induced her 3 weeks early. We know so much about each other, and our love is strong. Even if I could foresee the future, I know a rift between us and any child we have wouldn't be possible."

"So is that a yes?"

"You'd make a fantastic father Ianto. I'd be proud of any child we made together."

"That's not possible. We'd have to adopt, right?"

"Believe me, it is possible! If you want it to happen," Jack cautioned.

Jack paused. His brain sparked into action, racing ahead with an idea to help solve their current alien predicament. He stood abruptly.

"See you later," Jack said almost absently.

"You're leaving? In middle of the most important conversation of our life together? Where are you going?"

"We need a child to work out this whole thing. I've got a grandson, and its time I paid him and my daughter a visit, I think. And we'll get back to the children discussion later. At home, where we can discuss it properly. Plus it will give you some time to think."

"I'll see you later."

Jack blew a kiss to Ianto and swung himself towards the car park.

TWTWTWTWTTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Ianto, it's me. I couldn't get Alice to let me have Stephen for the day, so I'm heading over to the hospital to see if I can use a child from the children's ward. See you back at the Hub. Love you."

Jack placed another call, this time to Rupesh.

"Rupesh! Captain Jack Harkness. You've got a children's ward, haven't you? I need a kid."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Back at the Hub, Ianto was busy working on information gathering, leaving Gwen to do...whatever she was doing. He'd been trying to tell her about his mistake with the SUV, but she didn't appear to be interested or listening, so he kept quiet. Losing the SUV was not one of his proud moments, and when Jack found out he would hit the roof. How was Ianto supposed to know that the one place his sister and her husband had moved to would be full of thieves, with enough knowledge to break into and steal a high tech, military security vehicle?

Jack came speeding through the door, looking a bit battered, and dishevelled. One look at him and Ianto knew Jack had been killed, but felt the need to ask anyway.

"We need damage control at St Helen's. One body. Dr Rupesh Patanjali. Shot in the back."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. He was just left there right beside me. Like someone's gloating."

"Did they kill you?"

"Yeah."

Ianto moved in for what looked like an awkward hug, but he didn't want to cause Jack any more pain than he had already suffered, so he tried to avoid the stains and holes in Jack's shirt and coat.

"Maybe we're being targeted. Whether it was him or me, we should be careful, better tell Gwen."

"She's back, she's in the lab."

"Gwen!"

Gwen didn't answer, so Jack charged on in anyway. She was stood gawping up at the over head projection of the morgue's computer, but Jack paid it no mind.

"Boy, have I had a day."

She turned her face to see Jack, as if for the first time. Her eyes were shocked and wide, looking so vulnerable and innocent. Jack noticed her hand on the portable scanner, which he then read on the wall she had been staring at. The little red blip in the picture that represented her abdomen caused Jack to choke slightly.

"Oh, my God. Is that...?"

Gwen took her hand off the scanner, unable to make eye contact with Jack.

"How long?"

"Three weeks."

"That's good, isn't it? Isn't this something you'd been planning for?"

The flat mouth and big eyes of shock showed Jack that this wasn't something that could be planned and prepared for.

"From where I'm standing it... looks good to me."

"Yeah. Bloody hell. It's brilliant!"

For the first time, since he'd entered the morgue, he saw her smile, and he followed, breaking out the characteristic, Jack Harkness, charismatic grin.

"Ianto! We're having a baby!" Jack called out, not giving his choice of sentence structure any thought.

Ianto ran in looking stunned for a second, then saw the picture on the wall and the two people in front of him. Not us...Gwen! For a split second Ianto had panicked that Jack had somehow managed to get pregnant since their 'child' talk, a couple of hours ago.

"Have you told Rhys?"

"I've only just found out myself."

"Oh, you told me before you told him, he is gonna love that."

"Congratulations," Ianto said, belatedly, then his brain kicked in forcing him to tell Jack and Gwen what happened while he was out.

"Would now be a good time to tell you I lost the car?"

"You did what? How did you manage that? It's never been stolen before! Where did you go?"

"That is just bloody spectacular! But what about this place, and my job?"

"We'll manage, but I don't know how without the SUV! " Jack reassured Gwen by placing his hand over hers on the scanner.

"I'm sorry. I was at Rhi's and the buggers just took it!"

"What the-"

The scanner busily continued its job while they argued, but sounded an alarm when it found danger.

"What the hell is that?"

The little red blip that had been shown in an anatomical female pelvis on the wall had been replaced by a male version, and this red blip was more a large blinking dot. The alarm continued and the scanner threw a warning up on the wall.

"Oh, my God."

"There's a bomb, there's a bomb inside your stomach."

"Get out!" Jack barked.

"No!" shouted Gwen over the noise of the alarm.

"Both of you."

"No!"

"Right now!" Jack started to move, pushing Gwen up the stairs of the morgue. Ianto had disappeared, but Jack knew he hadn't left.

"It has a blast radius of one mile!" Ianto announced in a loud but calm voice.

"Right now! Get out! Both of you need to go!"

"Look there must be something we can do. Look we can stop it. We can fix this okay? We can rip it out of you."

"I'm telling you. Get out!"

"It's active. Two minutes!"

"Always with the stopwatch my love," jack joked lamely.

"I can't just run, Jack."

"You're pregnant," and that's all Jack needed to point out to Gwen before she stepped back, away from him and out the cog door to get to the Plas.

"Lockdown," chimed the internal security system of the hub.

"Ianto, you're going to get locked inside."

'Torchwood - lockdown.'

"Ianto! Then you…,"

Jack grabbed Ianto and dragging him to the only other way he could think to get Ianto out of there. Jack desperately wanted Ianto out, while Ianto desperately wanted to save Jack.

"There must be a way to override the mechanism. Shut down the bomb."

"For God's sake, get out!"

"I can't just leave you. You'll be blown to kingdom come. There'll be nothing left of you!"

"You know me! I can survive anything. I'll come back, I always do."

While Ianto was listening to Jack speak, Jack bundled him towards the invisible lift. Swinging him around, Jack grabbed Ianto hard and kissed him. There were precious moments to go until Jack exploded, but he wanted his last few thoughts to be submerged in his husband. Just as quickly as he grabbed him, Jack released Ianto, pushing him backwards onto the lift platform.

Knowing he'd been out bested, Ianto stayed where he'd been put on the platform. Jack hit a button on his wrist strap, sending Ianto upwards.

The hub security reiterated its warning, 'Torchwood - lockdown. Torchwood - lockdown.'

As the lift rose, both men kept eye contact. Ianto reached out a hand down in Jack's direction, as if to touch him, but there was too much distance between them.

The longing look they shared continued until the roof mechanism slid in place beneath, blocking Ianto's view.

Ianto's heart broke, but he knew that if he had any chance of seeing Jack again he needed to move away from the Hub, out of the bomb's blast range.

Back in the Hub, still in place in front of the base of the water tower, Jack stood waiting as the mental timer counted down in his head.

'00:04. 00:03'

He closed his eyes and prayed like he'd never prayed before. For the first time in a long time, Jack prayed that his immorality would hold, and that it would enable him to come back, just as he'd promised Ianto, so they could work on their recent discussion, create a child that would be part of them both.

The last thing Jack felt was his body burning from the inside out, a bit like being micro-waved, he guessed. He was aware of an overwhelming noise that cancelled out all ability to think. He felt his pelvis blow apart the ligaments that held it to his legs. He even thought he felt his toes wiggle a little in his boots, just to test a theory he couldn't remember. His brain was the last thing to be destroyed in the blast. He felt his head being pushed upwards from the force of the explosion, his eyes rolling in his head, taking in the destruction of the bomb around the Hub.

Finally, as his head became embedded in the glass wall of the hot house, where he remembered being caught in a make out session with Ianto, more than once. Finally, he remembered no more.


	24. Children of Earth Day Two

**Chapter 24 - Day Two **

Everything hurt. He'd had days like this before, when he'd awoken from some incident or another to find the world around him in tatters, and today was no different. For a split second Ianto had no idea where he was and what was going on, but memories of the last hour kicked him hard in the head, catching him up with his past.

Jack, stomach bomb, explosion! The ringing in his head was disorientating, almost to the point that thinking was extremely difficult. He opened his eyes, painfully, to look around at the destruction he was almost in the middle of. Broken bits of rumble consisting of concrete blocks and twisted metal girders covered the area around him. As he continued to scan his surroundings he realised he was inside a bloody great crater where the Plas used to be. Ianto experienced a rapid flashback to the warehouse that Captain John Hart had blown up with him and the rest of the team inside, on Jack's brother's behalf...the crushing weight of the concrete...the sharp stabbing pain from his dislocated shoulder every time he breathed.

A hot, burning sensation at the edge of one wrist caught Ianto's attention. Pulling his arm up to eye level he saw his suit arm was on fire, lit by smoking embeds nearby. Without any conscionable thought he quickly whipped up his arm, batting the embers to death.

A shot rang out making Ianto jump from his task. The shot came from above the crater. Cautiously Ianto moved to the top edge of the crater, stopping when he saw a red laser light, from a gun sight, through the smoke.

Judging the timing of the laser as it scanned the area around him was tricky, but Ianto waited patiently before sprinting as fast as he could away from the source of the laser. The sniper must have caught some movement as he started firing, not to accurately, missing each time.

Ianto ran for his life, on hearing the first shot ring out. He felt chips of metal work and brick shoot in his direction as the bullets missed him, embedding themselves in walls and lampposts. He ran almost blindly, as paths and buildings that once stood were knocked out of place, disorientating him. He dashed around the corner of a building and stopped to catch his breath. The bullets seemed to have stopped for the time being, but the screech of tyres and the scream of sirens forced his beaten and tired body to spring into motion once again.

Ianto ran to the only place in town he thought he would be safe from gunmen and police; Splott. The further away he got from the Bay area, the safer he began to feel. This meant that he started to slow down. By the time he hit the centre of the city Ianto was walking, still at a reasonable pace, but enough to take stock of his aching and blistered feet, and tight calves. Dress shoes were definitely not the right attire for long distance running. Ianto's logical thought process stopped working once he hit the outskirts of Splott. He had no car, workplace or colleagues. His husband was scattered into tiny pieces all around the Bay, and Ianto didn't know if Jack would survive this latest death. Ianto had seen in Jack's eyes that even he hadn't believed he would survive.

Ianto sat on a wall outside a church, taking stock. Ianto had briefly seen a glimpse of Gwen as he'd run in the opposite direction, but was unsure what had happened to her. He dug his phone out of his pocket, but the screen was cracked beyond repair. Ianto briefly thanked his photographic memory, as found a phone box, tapping in Gwen's mobile number. He waited impatiently for the dialling tone to connect, but was disappointed to hear the answer phone kick in. Logic would dictate that if his mobile was destroyed in the blast, then Gwen's probably would have been too! Digging deep into the recesses of his memory Ianto pulled out Gwen's home number. He hoped she had managed to make it back.

"Come on, come on... Come on," Ianto whispered as the phone connected and rang, continuing to ring for a while. He was about to put the phone back on the hook, when it was answered.

"Hello," answered a deep, husky, male voice.

"It's Ianto. Is Gwen there?"

In the back ground Ianto could hear Gwen hiss 'Jesus Christ, Rhys!'

"It's Ianto, alright?" Ianto heard the swapping over of hands on the telephone handset.

"Christ's sake, man!" Gwen hissed again, muffled, "Ianto, are you OK?"

"Yeah, have you heard from Jack?"

"No. No I haven't. Sorry, hang on. Do you think he survived?"

"He usually does. Who was it? Any idea?" Ianto tried his best not to sound so unsure of his husbands immortality.

"Yeah I had a run-in with one of them. Said he was working for the government."

"That doesn't make sense."

"How did they get close enough to plant it inside him, Ianto?"

"It was him, that Dr Rupesh guy. He was shot and killed in the hospital earlier tonight. It must've been then."

"Let's go," Ianto heard Rhys mutter near the mouthpiece.

"Yeah. Take the bag. Get the car ready. Er, where shall we meet, Ianto?"

"Your phone, your phone could be bugged."

"Erm, right... Er...,"

"Remember the last time we had ice cream together?"

"No."

"Yeah, you do. After the Grand Slam."

"I don't like ice cream. It gives me a headache. Jack's always the one that has ice cream, and I know we have never been to a Grand Slam, because Jack doesn't like rugby, and won't go."

"I've got to go."

Suddenly at a loss, Ianto couldn't think what to do with himself. Thinking hard, he knew there was only one other place he could go that would be safe. Walking the back streets of Cardiff seemed like the only safe option left open to him too, to get to his next destination. The main roads were deserted so late at night, but any lone individual wandering around would only intrigue the police, most likely bringing him unwanted attention.

Half way through his journey, Ianto did have one close call though.

One particular back alley, steeped in shadows and stinking gutters was empty except for himself, for a while, then he caught a shadowy figure walking behind him. The figure turned off down one of the alleys offshoots, but the figure was replaced by a mysteriously ominous white van with blacked out windows, slowing to about 3-4mph. The van trundled behind him, causing Ianto to become anxious. The closer it got, the more he wanted to run. The van stopped dead behind him, throwing open its doors, and Ianto's fight or flight response was kicked into overdrive, but before he could move, the van threw out a stack of newspapers. Checking his watch, Ianto saw it was just after three in the morning. The van was delivering the day's newspapers to newsagents wanting to spread worldly facts and figures.

Ianto roughly carded his fingers through his hair and turned away from the van, taking shelter around the corner of a building. He stayed like that until the headlights of the van passed him by, then he jogged back to grab a newspaper.

Reading the headlines of the day, Ianto returned the paper uninterested. He had been looking for a headline relating to the hub explosion, but it appeared the police were keeping it under wraps for the time being.

Ianto's next stop was getting in contact with his sister. With the police presence he had spotted while running for his life, and the amount of bullets he'd been subjected to avoiding, Ianto was sure Rihannan's house would be under surveillance. She was the only person he knew he could trust to help him out discretely, and she and her family were his only living relatives. It seemed like the only conclusion.

The journey to her estate took several hours on foot, some of which had to be ran to ensure he would make it in time. His shoes had rubbed blisters over to top of blisters, his shirt and waistcoat stuck unpleasantly to his body from the sweat of overexertion. Ianto hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning, because they had been so busy, so he was suffering from stomach cramps every now and then. He desperately needed a drink, and was forced to use public toilets in the local park in an attempt to quench his thirst.

Ianto managed to track down a piece of paper that was caught blowing in the wind around the streets of the estate. Using a pen he kept in his jacket pocket he wrote a short note to Rhi. His best option to get it to her without being seen by any covert authorities was to track down the paperboy. Ianto had lived on this estate for several years, and had a good idea of the timings and route paperboys were forced to endure before they headed off to school. Luckily for him, the BMX bike gave the young boy away. Asking nicely, and the added incentive of £10 for his trouble, Ianto convinced the boy to add the note to the newspaper he would soon deliver to his sister's address.

Ianto stood a long distance away, keeping his eyes on the parked cars scattered along the road in front of his sister's house. He watched the boy knock on the broken front door, watched as Johnny accepted the paper and took it inside the house. Ianto heard the echo of Johnny slamming the front door behind him, and just hoped Rhi would understand his note, and meet him.

While he waited for Rhi, Ianto pondered the cryptic meeting place Gwen had asked him meet her and Rhys. He had no idea where they had had ice cream in the past. Nothing sprang to the forefront of his memory. It could be anywhere in the local vicinity, or even farther afield, but he'd never know now.

Ianto stood behind a tree, opposite a park bench, for another hour in his dusty, beaten suit in the park his father used to take both his children when they were little. Ianto had chosen this place because he knew Rhi would remember it, just as he did.

Rhi finally turned up looking around for him. She sat herself at the bench, tapping the sides of the laptop she had brought with her. Ianto walked over to the bench quickly, looking around, checking the area to ensure no one had followed Rhi from the estate.

"Hey," said Ianto.

"Oh my God! What happened to you?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"I wasn't followed. Sit down."

"You worked out my little code, then?"

"Dad didn't break your leg on purpose, you know."

"He pushed me too hard. He always did."

"Well, you should've held on tighter. Seriously. How did you get in that state?"

"There was a bomb that exploded in the Plas last night. It was meant for me and the rest of Torchwood."

"My God! Why?"

"I don't know."

"Is the government permitted to attack one of their own outfits?"

"I don't think so, but at the minute I'm starting to feel like an unappreciated civil servant."

"Are they OK? Jack and Gwen?"

"I don't know. Gwen's alive, but I have no way of contacting her. I'm not sure about Jack," Rhi could see the unshed tears glistening in Ianto's eyes and moved in to hug him.

"He'll be okay Ianto. Even I know he'll be okay."

"They won't get rid of him that easy. I just need to find him."

Ianto lapsed into silence, in an attempt to control the tears in his eyes, but was interrupted by children in the playground opposite chanting.

"We are coming tomorrow. We are coming tomorrow."

"This has something to do with it. It must do. When they tried to blow us up, this is what we were working on."

"We are coming tomorrow."

Ianto ran to the kids area in the park in an attempt to talk to the nearest child.

"Hey, hey, hello. What did it feel like? Just then?"

"Leave her alone! Go away!" shouted the mother of the child.

"They said the same thing here."

"Leave her alone. Piss off, you perv!" the mother continued pointedly.

"Yeah, OK, bye. It happened to David and Mica. What is it? What is it?"

"I don't know. We couldn't find any information about anything like this happening in the past. Nothing in the Archives or on file! It's unusual for something like that to happen and us have no record of it."

"So deal with it. Stop it."

"I need to find Jack. Give me that," Ianto demanded, almost snatching the laptop from Rhi's lap.

"How will this help?" Rhi asked, ignoring Ianto's mood.

"I took down the registration plate of the van they put Jack in. You can track any vehicle with the right computer programmes."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Give me the car keys."

"Oh, Johnny'll do his nut! Especially after what happened to your car."

"Please don't remind me. Jack was not happy when I told him. We don't have time to spare, I need to find Gwen and your car is the only vehicle I have access to otherwise, that can't be traced back to me."

Ianto gratefully took the keys from Rhi and started to move away from the bench.

"A 'thank you' would be nice!"

"Look, I'm sorry. I've got to go. Thanks for all this. I love you!"

"Be careful!"

It took him 30 seconds to track down who owned the vehicle Jack had been placed in. It took an additional minute to work out the route the vehicle took, and its final resting place - an MOD base in Monmouthshire. Then all he had to do was work out the directions to get there, and how he would go about helping Jack.

With all the fake ID they were given throughout their Torchwood career, finding one that would allow him access to an MOD secure unit was relatively simple. All Ianto needed was a fake personal ID and a contact name in order to get a valid name and vehicle pass. He even managed to talk his way into getting the passes 'unescorted', forgoing the need to contact anyone.

Next on the agenda was working out which building Jack was being held in. This took a little longer to work out. He had to plug Rhi's laptop into the car cigarette lighter for power. Using Torchwoods secure remote software, Ianto was able to dig into the MOD server and retrieve the building number and directions to it. He took up a space on an opposing hill, giving him the perfect vantage point to watch the comings and goings of people and vehicles.

There was one final thing Ianto needed to do. He had to get eyes and ears inside the building. All this hard work would be useless if he didn't know the movements of all individuals inside the building, including which room Jack was being held in.

On his way to the unit building, Ianto had stopped off at a computer store to get some essential hardware. Keeping all senses trained on the building, Ianto moved across open terrain before flattening himself against the building exterior. He quickly located what he needed, using the bought hardware to secure a bird's eye view' inside. Once he'd accomplished his goal, Ianto rapidly moved back to his hiding spot.

In a matter of hours, people, room locations and private conversations were swimming around inside his head. After patiently watching and listening, Ianto now knew Jack's location, the location and patrol timings of all the guards, and the names of pretty much everyone inside the building. One thing that shocked Ianto was the state they were keeping Jack in. Under all prisoner rights laws, there was nowhere that said prisoners should be left to regenerate in a body bag, then, when fully recovered, left naked and bloody for all the world to see.

Every time Jack screamed in agony as his body knitted itself back together, or grew another bone, Ianto shed a tear. If he hadn't been on high alert of being found out, he would have curled into a ball and sobbed uncontrollably for his husband.

The worst thing that Ianto could have ever witnessed was when an agent called Johnson struck up conversation with Jack, because Jack challenged her very loudly. She made it very clear that she did not want to be troubled by Jack's inconvenience coming back to life time and again, and as she spoke, Ianto could see the cement mixer moving into place over the top of Jacks cell. Ianto had to stuff his fist into his mouth to prevent any sound escaping as the mixer was turned on, and cement was poured from a great height onto Jack's body. Ianto closed his eyes, but couldn't block out the sound of Jack's muffled cries and breathing.

It was a great relief to see Gwen and Rhys enter the facility and make their way over the Jack's building. How they'd managed to get into the building was a mystery, but Ianto was glad to see them both alive. It appeared that they'd managed to acquire a morticians van and clothing, and had come under the guise of picking up some deceased bodies.

As Ianto could hear even their whispered conversations he knew exactly what they were planning. His only thought was how he was going to get Jack out of his cement prison, until his gaze fell across a fork lift truck in a hangar not far away. He kept his ear piece in so he could time their getaway just right.

Not only did Ianto steal the fork lift truck, but his nature prevented him using it without the appropriate health and safety, personal protective equipment, so he also stole a builder's hard hat, and a bright yellow high visibility jacket.

He charged as fast as the fork lift truck would go, forcing the metal prongs into the exterior wall. He pulled lift stick upwards, then slammed the gear stick into reverse. The fork lift worked a treat, hauling the big cement block, that contained one Captain Jack Harkness out of the building and away from the soldiers with guns. Ianto caught a glimpse of an astonished Gwen and Rhys ducking to avoid the falling rubble.

Gwen and Rhys ran through the opening Ianto had made.

"Come on, get on," shouted Ianto over the roar of machinery engine.

"Ah, Ianto. You took your time."

"Come on," Rhys urged his pregnant wife, helping her climb up, ensuring her gun arm was free to provide fire cover.

A gunfire fight ensued, with most of the soldiers firing wide of the fork lift truck. Rhys flinched with every shot but kept hold of his wife.

"They're going to catch up."

"Rhys, get out and move that truck up ahead."

"Hold on tight."

Rhys moved as fast as he could, jumping in the truck opposite, using it to block the road after the forklift passed him.

As Rhys ran to get back to his wife, Gwen shouted, "Move, Rhys!"

Ianto watched distractedly as Rhys ran, ducking for cover all the way, as Gwen fired her gun at the truck. The noise from the explosion that followed was deafening. The air blast was something akin to walking out of an air conditioned building and hitting a walled furnace of heat. It took their breath away.

"Come on," shouted Gwen irrespective of their deafened states.

Surprisingly, given the speed of the forklift, the Torchwood team, plus Rhys, managed their daring escape.

Ianto hadn't been given the opportunity to think about anything except retrieving Jacks body, and the escape that followed. Now he had the luxury, he had a bit of an emotional dilemma. How could he free Jack without damaging him further? In the depths of Ianto's mind he knew it was an unreasonable question to ask himself, because Jack was most likely constantly dying, encased in his concrete prison. He drew his mind away from the emotional aspect, instead focusing on the hard facts.

What was the best way to get something out of concrete? Drop it on the ground from a sufficient height in order to smash it open. Realising that this was the only option, Ianto focused his mind on adequate locations to accomplish the concrete smashing.

"Where the hell are you taking us Ianto?"

Ianto was too engrossed in his thoughts to answer straight away.

"What are we doing? Ianto please talk to me!"

He clicked some buttons as he stopped the forklift. He was at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a quarry of some kind. The forklift responded sedately to the buttons demands, growing feet and lifting itself higher. Once everything was set in motion, Ianto spoke.

"You'll see in a moment. Get the car started! We've only got a few minutes. Come on!"

Clueless, Gwen and Rhys obeyed Ianto's instructions, thinking him a crazy with grief.

"Come on, come on, come on," muttered Ianto to himself, watching as the big block of concrete took its time positioning itself over the edge of the cliff. In reality it took several seconds, but time always felt like an eternity when family was involved. Eventually the forklift angled the concrete block off its metal prongs. One minute it was there, the next it dropped over the cliff into the ether. The only sign that anything had happened was the loud crack rippling sound waves around the base of the quarry, as the material encasing his husband shattered into hundreds of pieces.

Ianto jumped of the forklift, almost twisting his ankle in the process. He didn't bother resetting the forklift, as the need for a quick getaway was more urgent. He almost threw himself into Rhys' stolen vehicle, which took off like a bat out of hell down the side of the quarry, following the road towards the mess Jack had been imprisoned in. Wheels screeching to a haul, and all three of the car's occupants quickly scrambled towards the concrete wreckage.

Ianto almost held his breath waiting for something to happen. For Jack to show himself, and as if on cue Jack's gasp back into the living world echoed around the quarry walls. Jack started to pull himself free.

Unable to help himself, Ianto ran as fast as his legs could carry him towards his lover, husband and best friend. Before Ianto could reach him, Jack stood up, slightly unsteadily and totally unexpectedly, but not surprisingly naked. Unusually for Jack, once he had taken in his surroundings, and his audience, he had the graciousness to cover himself with his hands bound by metal.

"Told you I'd be back!" called Jack, trying to act as if he wasn't stark bollock naked, covered in cement dust, wearing only a pair of handcuffs.

"Breaking out the bondage kit a little early in the day don't you think? Especially given present company."

Jack's smile was enough for Ianto to cover the distance separating them, and almost topple them both to the ground. Ianto shone a watery smile at Jack as he righted themselves. In the end he settled for having his arms around Jack's waist, and his around Ianto's neck, given the cuffs. They slipped into a tight hug, Ianto making sure that he couldn't find any injuries on Jack, and Jack just happy to be in the arms of someone he loved and had almost lost, through no fault of their own.

Some tongues and hands may have ventured further south than was acceptable, with present company, and they only separated after Ianto overheard Rhys whisper, "I think they're a millimetre away from heavy petting. We really need to go!"

Drawing apart, Jack looked down at the damage the cement dust had caused over the shoulders of Ianto's suit jacket.

"Seems like I owe you a new suit, again."

"This time I'll settle on getting you some clothes, and keeping you safe and with me."

"Guys! We really need to move. That secret service group will be trying to track us. Get in the car. Come one, we've got work to do."

Jack hobbled his next few steps, before Ianto offered him a piggy back ride. Never one to turn down something fun, and an experience for Ianto to play the knight in shining armour, Jack was more than happy with his mode of transportation to the car. Ianto was definitely stronger than he looked.

Rhys lent Jack a coat to cover up his modesty as they settled in the back seat. Rhys slammed the car into gear and wheel spun out of there.

"What the hell is going on?" Jack asked when they were a sufficient distance from the quarry.

"Dunno yet, but the latest from the kids is that it's happening tomorrow."

"I'm just in time, then."


	25. Children of Earth Day Three

**COE Day 3**

They were all tired and getting a little snippy at each other.

"Rhys, just drive!" growled Gwen demandingly.

"But I don't know where I'm going!" It wasn't like Rhys to whine, but that's exactly what it sounded like.

"Love, you wouldn't know anyway, because we're in _London_."

"But I just want to know-,"

Having heard about all the bitching he could take for now, Ianto jumped in before Rhys managed to plunge the car over a bridge somewhere.

"We're heading for a warehouse. Turn right here and follow the road to the end, then take a left."

It had taken some restraint on Ianto's part when he'd seen Jack not to kiss his husband first, before smacking him in the face for the stunt he'd pulled in the Hub. Once he'd formulated the thought he knew he was being unreasonable. If Jack hadn't done what he had, then Jack would be mourning a dead husband, not snuggling into the back seat with him. Once everyone had gotten into their stolen vehicle, Jack safely ensconced in the back, Rhys and Ianto had search for anything Jack could wear. They searched both their stolen car and the fork lift with no luck, then Rhys remembered he and Gwen had brought a small overnight bag. Rhys lugged his bag out of the back seat, pulling out a pair of old, but serviceable jogging bottoms and a t-shirt that were both a little big for Jack, but they were decent enough to stop Gwen gawking at Jack's crown jewels while Rhys drove, also distracted with his wife's intent focus. With Jack safely covered up, Ianto had pointed Rhys to drive in the general direction of London.

The drive was long and tedious given the late hour and London's propensity for traffic. Ianto directed them to some distant industrial estate skirting some important tourist landmark. A derelict area where a single warehouse stood singled out from the rest of the estate. Most of the surrounding buildings shared a car park, or a row of fencing, but this one isolated with an ominous presence. Ianto had directed them here, because he hadn't known what else to do. They were on the run from the government…their own government, and with more and more CCTV cameras being fixed to properties to ensure tight security, it would make their disappearance quite difficult. Ianto had known about this building for a while before Owen & Jack and Cardiff. As Rhys pulled the car up to the front of the warehouse, Ianto had looked at Jack to see if there was any recognition, surprised to find very little.

Hefting a crowbar out of the boot, Ianto approached the overly tall, rusted sliding doors like an old friend. This wasn't the first time he'd been here. Levering the steel bar into a heavy duty padlock was difficult, but soon it yielded, allowing Ianto to push open the doors. Leading the way into the empty space he had revealed; a really large, wet concrete and corrugated metal place, he raised his arms.

"This is us. This is Torchwood. This is home," Ianto declared.

Jack had never seen Ianto look quite so proud of anything before, though it was difficult to think of any facial expression except complete fear just before he'd been blown apart. Jack glanced at Gwen and Rhys and they gingerly walking through the open doors. She looked thoroughly unimpressed, whether due to lack of sleep, hunger or an actual feeling of being unimpressed. Rhys seemed unfazed by their current surroundings.

"It'll make a good base. Well done Ianto," Jack said, heading Gwen off at the pass before she could say something scathing. Jack sent Gwen a look and she pulled Rhys away so they could be alone.

"Why here?" Jack asked inquisitively, as he approached Ianto.

"Why not?" Ianto commented, "It's not as if there are any other places we could have gone, and I knew this place would be empty."

"Saving it in case of emergency?"

"If I'd have thought that far ahead, we'd actually have supplies instead of trackie bottoms, a shoddy third hand vehicle that's seen more than its fair share of miles, and a damp, rotting building."

"It's better than nothing! And I do love your resourcefulness."

"Well I do know an awful lot of useful information."

"Indeed you do," Jack slid his bare arms around Ianto's neck, "did I actually tell you how grateful I am you came to rescue me?"

"Not in as many words, no."

"Aren't we past the point of verbal conversations? Because there are times when I know you're reading my mind."

"Definitely not telepathic, Sir."

"Okay then," said Jack dropping a kiss on the tip of Ianto's nose, "thank you," his eyebrows, "for saving," his cheeks, "my life," before finally reaching Ianto's lips.

This time no one interrupted them, neither of them pulled back embarrassed at being caught in any position, compromising or not, as they took their time exploring the little they could without undressing. Every movement was leisurely and unhurried, each touch kept about the waist. Loving, tentative and reassuring.

A while later they pulled back from each other, pleased to have renewed their connection to each other. Ianto was the most pleased as he'd used their 'time out' to reassure himself Jack had no lasting damage from the explosion he'd suffered through. Jack had let Ianto carry on, knowing exactly what his husband's ulterior motive was.

"You're welcome."

As if on cue, Gwen and Rhys appeared making a racket to let them know they were there.

"We found some old sofas, they're a little old, but serviceable enough. Thought we could bring them into the main part of the building. Use it as our main area. Could you give me a hand? Gwen can't lift heavy objects at the minute," stated Rhys, almost babbling. Gwen threw the happy couple a threatening look that had both men avoiding the pregnancy issue, and helping Rhys manhandle the furniture.

Everyone then separated to extend their search for more useful things. They managed a few tables, chairs and an empty metal barrel.

It took Rhys several tries to light the barrel, as a fire, to warm them. Unfortunately both Ianto and Jack had tried and failed to light the dam thing. In exasperation, both men had admitted defeat and thrown themselves onto the sofa.

"I can't believe Rhys managed something we couldn't," muttered Jack only loud enough for Ianto to hear from the other end of the sofa.

"Almost lost my eyebrows! Still, good for something see? Old boy scout."

"Only because he had a light. We were trying the old fashioned way! Rubbing sticks together," Jack whined quietly. Ianto shushed him as Gwen moved within hearing distance.

"I'm freezing," moaned Gwen warming her hands over the small fire.

"Is anyone going to see us in here? With all this fire and stuff?"

"Don't know if you caught how we're in the middle of nowhere Rhys? It was abandoned in the 90's. Used to be a Torchwood holding facility. Torchwood One."

"Rusting away for years?"

"So what do we do hmm? Just sit here?"

"Worse than that, do I have to stay in these clothes? No offense Rhys."

"No offense taken mate."

"I mean come on, tracksuit bottoms? Not a good look."

"Jack, they're arriving today. Tracksuits bottoms are the least of our worries. That alien voice thing said today, and we're stuck in the back end of beyond," said Gwen, a strong edge to her voice, the stress clearly getting to her a little.

Jack patted the seat between him and Ianto, urging Gwen to take a seat and relax a bit.

"Yeah, but we're together. The old team. We're down, but not out yeah? We've survived worse than this. Besides I don't know how much fighting you should do in your condition." The last bit slipped from Jack's mouth, but seemed an apt comeback after the clothing comment she'd made.

"What does that mean?" Rhys exploded, his statement more aimed at Gwen than Jack.

"Christ Jack," Gwen muttered sharply at the two men who insisted on acting more like children than adults. She knew she was going to catch hell for Jack's comment, but she couldn't avoid it now.

"He knows you're pregnant?"

"Actually we both do," insisted Ianto, not wanting to be left out of the fun.

"You told them before me didn't you?" Rhys threw at Gwen, offended but not really surprised.

"Rhys! They just happened to be there. It happened really, really fast."

"Last to know! Last to bloody know! Well thank you _very much_," Rhys finished as he stormed away from the group.

"Don't be stupid man! Don't be so-," suddenly she turned on the boys saying, "couldn't you just keep it shut?" before she followed her husband.

"Funny but uncalled for."

"It was an accident, but seemed appropriate for the snidey clothes comment and look she made earlier."

"You can be evil sometimes. Poor Rhys!"

"Not our fault. She should have told him earlier! Not left out parts of the tale he should have known."

"But still-"

"Don't _you_ take her side!"

Ianto scooted over the cushion, into Gwen's recently vacated seat, to wrap his arm over Jack's chest and rest his head on it, placing his ear over his husband's heart. The constant rhythmic beat lulled Ianto into complete relaxation.

"All together, the old team! We never fell out when Tosh and Owen were here."

"That's because Owen would fall out with the rest of us to stop that from happening."

"Gwen's right you know. We should be finding a way to help ourselves help the children of the world. To stop whatever it is that's going to happen."

"Fine, I'll think about apologising."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Eventually Ianto pulled himself away from Jack's warm appealing body so he could give his sister a call. He knew that he should be making any contact with her. Direct contact would be too risky, so he called up a mutual friend who lived across the road him his sister.

"Hey, it's me. Could you give her the thumbs up?"

Quickly Ianto disconnected the call, so it couldn't be traced. The call gave him small piece of mind about his family.

"Are they ok?" Jack asked quietly from behind him, too aware of what Ianto had had to sacrifice to make sure his family were safe, and knew he was okay.

"I didn't dare speak to her directly in case they were listening. I left a message with a friend."

"As long as she knows."

"What about Alice?" Ianto asked, almost knowing the answer, but Jack could respond.

"I can't risk it. She'll know I'm ok."

"As long as you're sure," Jack just nodded.

"Right guys," Jack called out to the others, "let's take inventory of what we've got."

It appeared Gwen and Rhys had patched things up, and they were shooting each other sickly love looks, though neither Jack nor Ianto minded. Gathering around on of their tables they emptied all the pockets in their clothing. What they produced was pitifully little.

"So we've got guns, a pen knife, laptop now dead, credit cards which they can trace. Lemsip, stamps, a pair of contact lenses, and £15."

"We've still got some of the Torchwood software though. We've lost the hub, but the software still exists on the server. Trouble is we're going to need some equipment, not to mention electricity."

Since Tosh's death, Ianto had had to assume most of her duties, even though he knew very little about her genius projects and ideas.

"And how are we going to manage that hidden away like criminals?"

"Well that's it! Brilliant!" exclaimed Gwen loud enough to scare a pigeon that had settled on the corrugated rusting iron roof.

"What?" drawled Rhys, a confused expression marred his brow.

"Criminals, thieves, us. Well they're treating us like criminals, so let's be criminals. Listen I trained with the police. I know every trick in the book, I've seen a lot. Come on boys! Come and learn some tricks."

Excitedly Gwen rushed off with Rhys as she prepared to 'explain' criminals to them. The lecture was informative and laid out exactly what they needed to do in order to pull her idea off.

"I can't believe we're turning into common criminals," Ianto muttered as Gwen went through steps with Rhys to ensure he didn't get arrested.

"We've had everything taken from us, our home, our car and all our equipment. We have to start with the basics, but to do that we need equipment, and at least one vehicle so we can get around the city. With the government trying to kill us, it's not like we can buy an oyster card to travel around with, especially not with all surveillance around. This is our only option if we want to save the children, and the planet from whatever's going to happen tomorrow."

"I guess I'd rather risk arrest than death."

"That's the spirit. Now I'm gonna find us a sweet convertible. We may become common thieves but there's no need to have poor taste." Ianto would have shouted, better to have poor taste than be in prison, but he didn't think it would sway Jack.

Pretending to be waiters, they stole unsuspecting customers credit cards; created disturbances to distract attention as they lifted unwatched laptops and briefcase bags. Jack even drove off with his coveted convertible. Originally working in teams, they eventually separated so as not to get caught.

Everyone was back at base, except for Ianto, and Jack was getting a little concerned he'd been arrested! To try and take his mind off the matter, Jack set about hijacking electricity from the surrounding buildings.

The last finishing touches were in place as Jack touched one last button on one of their stolen laptops exclaiming, "Let there be light!" like some magician conjuring a rabbit out of a hat. The whole warehouse lit up, not far off looking like a Christmas tree.

"Oh yees! Britain's most wanted!" squealed Gwen.

"Hey, how about that?" asked Rhys as he showed off the sign he'd created by rubbing through the grime on the wall to read 'The Hub 2'.

"Guess that makes you an official member of the team!"

"You can stick it mate. Get on those computers and get me home." Rhys said, as he moved around Jack to stand by his wife.

"I see we've got a new car outside," called a familiar voice, punctuated with Welsh vowels, "Nice! Very smart."

"We're have you been? We thought you got arrested," the sentence came out with more bite than Jack intended, but he'd been worried, so he reasoned it was understandable. Ianto brushed off the comment.

"Just buying essentials. Technologies one thing, but let's not forget the creature comforts. Coffee, obviously. Got some doodah."

To which Gwen cried, "Thank God," Rhys just laughed at her.

Ianto continued, "but more importantly, didn't know your exact sizes but I reckon I've got a good eye," throwing a plastic bag each at Gwen and Rhys, who both loved what they found when they opened them.

Under his arm, Ianto carried a large brown paper parcel.

"And for you sir. Army surplus special," Jack's facial expression was one of pure shock as he reached out for the package.

"Oh! You're kidding me. Thank you so much."

Jack looked almost in tears at the thoughtful gesture. He knew it would fit, as Ianto had been purchasing various clothing items for him for a while, and they always seemed to fit perfectly.

Jack, in a rush to rid himself of the unfashionable tracksuit bottoms, pecked Ianto on the cheek and ran to change. In record time Jack reappeared looking like his normal work self; just as sexy and doubly menacing. Ianto stood back and enjoyed the view.

"Well? I'm back!" All the team, Rhys included, gathered into a small, tight circle and hugged. The results of their work over the last few hours, ending with Jack in his rightful clothing, made everything worth the hassle and danger. Now they had to work on what was actually going on in the world.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"And we're in!" Jack, Ianto and Gwen were separately huddled in front of a laptop, access and re-establishing connections and links with all their old software. Jack thanked God that Ianto had gotten to grips with all the software in the last year.

"Just like the old days."

"I've patched into new channels. See what's happening."

"Black no sugar yeah?" Rhys had been promoted to head of refreshments, ensuring the rest of the team drink enough fluids and ate at the right times.

"That's the one."

"No sign of anything. Empty skies."

"Right. Where do we start? What are we looking for?"

"Run a check on a Clement McDonald. See if there's any change, and those names Lois said."

"Capt Andrew Staines, Ellen Hunt and Michael Saunders mean anything to you Jack?" Ianto asked expectantly.

Jack's blank expression said it all really, but he still replied, "No, nothing."

"We need to get inside Whitehall. Have you got the I5 software Ianto?" Ianto could almost hear the cogs in Gwen's mind turning, creating a plan to get them inside the building that was currently trying to kill them all.

"Yeah it's still on the site. Why?"

"Download it onto the laptop would you? These contacts aren't just ordinary contact lenses. These are Torchwood contact lenses."

"But what do we use them for? Who's going to wear them?"

"Well there's only one person still talking to us."

Gwen swiftly disappeared, tracking down Lois Habbiba, trying to persuade her to be their Whitehall spy.

"Frobisher is the key to this," said Jack after looking a little more into the information they had about his assassination, "He's just a civil servant, but he's nothing. What makes him start ordering executions? Why would he want us dead?"

"Well you are a bit late handing in one of their reports. Would that be enough motive?" asked Ianto glibly. Jack just turned a hard stare in his direction. Ianto switched topics.

"What did it feel like? I mean, getting blown up."

"Wasn't the best of days," Jack tried valiantly keep his answer flippant, not really achieving it, though he refused to look Ianto in the eye.

"No, but did you feel it? Or did everything just go black?"

"I felt it."

"Shit."

"Yeah," Ianto walked over and hugged Jack, as was normal when he heard some distressing news about how painful Jack's deaths were. The hug didn't destroy the memories of the pain Jack had felt, but they went a long way to helping him get over it.

"Do you ever think that one day your luck will run out? That you won't come back?"

This was something that they had never spoken about before. For all the time they had spent travelling the world, looking after each other and coming to terms with Owen and Tosh's deaths, they had never discussed Jack's future with his immortality. Jack had known this day would come, but hadn't really wanted to face it. Being blown up so blatantly by forces that wanted him dead was bound to leave Ianto with questions.

"I'm a fixed point in time and space. At least that's what the Doctor says. I think that means its forever."

"So one day you'll see me die, of old age, and just keep going?" Although Ianto knew the answer to this, he still asked the question.

"Yeah."

"We'd better make the most of it then."

"Suppose," responded Jack suspiciously.

"What about now?" Ianto asked with a purely innocent expression, but a mischievous sparkle in his eye.

"Ianto, the world could be ending."

"The world's always ending. And I have missed that coat."

"Rhys? Do you wanna take the car and go to those shops, er, down by the Wharf? We need some discs for these things. Should take about 20 minutes."

"30 minutes," Ianto quickly jumped in.

"30!"

"I could, but the beans are almost done."

"The beans are almost done Ianto."

"Rhys, we'll keep an eye on the beans, don't worry about that. We really do need those discs, if you wouldn't mind."

Rhys sighed dramatically.

"How many do you want?" Ianto's eyes gleamed with excitement, glory and a hint of arousal at the success of his ploy.

Two minutes after Rhys walked out the door, stolen credit card in hand, Ianto pounced on Jack, who remained in his seat making sure that Rhys wasn't going to return. He made an oomph noise as Ianto landed in his lap. They moved a little too quickly for either of them to adequately catch their breath, but this wasn't something they were unused to. Tongues were a little wetter than usual, and everything was just a little too hard. Unfortunately for them, God or whoever controlled the fates seemed to be against them as a telephone rang. The echoing sound it made throughout the warehouse made Ianto want to throw the damn thing far away. They were busy, couldn't people just leave them alone for another 21 minutes and 15 seconds? Jack, more mindful of current events pulled away to pick up the ringing mobile, with an apologetic expression.

"Gwen what have you got for us?" He put the mobile on loud speaker, so they could both listen, while they replaced buttons into buttons holes and zippers moved up from their downward position.

Ianto was rock solid, extremely frustrated and angry at Gwen. He wanted nothing more than to shut off the phone call mid-flow as she ranted about the trials and tribulations of speaking to people. He booted up his computer and while she ranted he looked up Clement McDonald.

"Gwen?" Ianto interrupted, "We've got a new little mission for you. That Clem's turned up at Camden police station. He's been arrested for theft and minor affray. Can you get him out?"

She moaned and groaned at the request. Ianto countered with the one thing she was always going on about.

"Well you _were _a police woman. You should know someone with some pull. Jack thinks he could be connected to the children, so we need him."

"Anything else I can get you while I'm at it?" Gwen grumbled.

"A fillet steak would be nice," and with that Ianto cut her off, knowing that she would get out the old man, because her heart wouldn't let her do anything else.

Jack rolled his eyes, but understood why Ianto had taken such a hard tone towards his colleague and friend.

"We may as well work, now that we've been interrupted."

"Oh yes," Ianto hissed, "because works more important-sorry. We don't normally get disturbed anymore, and this is really uncomfortable."

"I wish I could help, but," Jack looked from Ianto's heavily erect crotch to his watch, "Rhys will be back any minute...," Jack was faced with silence, but he continued, "What's his story? Clement McDonald?"

"Really?" Ianto narrowed his eyes to a squint and pursed his lips.

"It'll take your mind off it."

"Fine! It was your classic alien abduction story. Back when he was a kid in 1965 he was living 10 miles outside Arbroath, Scotland, at Holy Tree Lodge. According to the files the kids were taken away in November 1965. The lodge was closing down and they were taken to a second care home called Harbour Heights in Plymouth. Except that's where the records stopped. There's no trace of him arriving. I mean it was the sixties. A lot of the paper works gone missing, but if what he's saying is true then he never got there."

If Ianto had been watching he would have seen Jack's face change. From thoughtful attentiveness to concentration, contemplating every word that came from Ianto's mouth, then guilt and worry. The summary of events Ianto was going through sounded a lot like something that he had done, with more than one child in the past, 50 years ago for some, longer for him. If this was what he thought it was Ianto would never forgive him. He had to make sure that he was thinking about the same situation.

"Show me the people."

"What people?"

"Andrew Staines, Ellen Hunt, Michael Saunders. The ones that were killed the same day as me."

"Why do you think there's a connection?" Ianto questioned, unsure why Jack was asking about them now, especially since he'd had no idea who they were an hour ago.

"Show me!" The more Jack thought about it, the more he believed his past was coming back to haunt him.

"Alright! No need to shout."

"Sorry...no, no, no. Not their history. Show me them 40 years ago!"

"What for Jack? I don't understand."

"The photos. Just do it!"

"What is it Jack? Do you know them?" Ianto asked as the pictures of forty year old faces streamed across the screen.

"I never knew their names," replied Jack, absently, devastation sweeping his mind. It was true. Those children...all those children...and now they were back for more. They'd come to claim more than the initial gift they'd been presented with. Jack had lived for so long that he had learned never to regret anything he did, but he now regretted this. This could be the one thing that could tear him from his husband. If they survived this, Jack promised to whoever was out there listening that he would reveal the most deep, dark secrets he kept hidden in his soul to Ianto.

"Who were they? Jack tell me! Did you know them? Jack?" And with that Jack ran away.

Before he could incriminate himself, or Ianto could force a confession out of him, Jack left Ianto sitting there, confused, a little annoyed and frustrated, but for a whole different reason. Before they had married, Jack had done the running away thing with reasonable frequency, especially if it was something painful he didn't want to talk about. Ianto had thought they were past it, but evidently not.

In the distance Ianto could hear a car, presumably Rhys', pulling up, as he turned to see the pan on the stove smouldering. Shit! They had forgotten to turn the damn thing off. Ianto sighed loudly, knowing he would get earache for this latest screw up.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Rhys! How many times do I have to say how sorry I am? It wasn't like it was intentional. Jack and I got slightly distracted with...work and it slipped our notice. We have more beans-"

"But those took ages. I used spices and all sorts to make them special."

"I'm sure whatever you come up with will be good, but we don't need special beans. Ordinary beans will be fine. I'm sure Gwen will love them no matter what's in them."

"Have you heard from her?"

"Yeah, she's gone to a police station in Camden to pick up the man we've been looking for."

"Oh. Will she be okay?"

"She should be. She'll be back as soon as she gets Clem released."

Computers buzzed all around them. Ianto swivelled in his chair to face his computer. Startled by the sudden elevation in noise, Rhys hurried over too.

"It's them. It's all of them, the kids," said Ianto as a new bulletin flashed onto his monitor.

"What are they saying?"

"I don't know, just pointing."

Just when it seemed the day could get any worse, it did a 180 switch and became weird.

"The news is saying all the children in America are pointing east, and all the children in Europe are pointing west."

Rhys thought for a minute, to work out the significance of what this latest development could mean. Ianto had found that Rhys had a knack for seeing what the rest of them failed to. Suddenly it all made sense as Rhys' face bloomed into comprehension.

"It's us! They're pointing at us."

"What's so special about us? Unless it has something to do with Whitehall? There are reports that the children around the country are pointing to London. Let me work something out."

The warehouse was quiet for a moment as Ianto did some extrapolating, using a map of the UK and arrows that showed where are the whole of the UK's child population were pointing to.

"They're pointing at Thames House! Come on Rhys, we've got to go see."

Ianto raced off up the rickety stairs of the warehouse, heading towards the highest vantage point – the roof, followed not so swiftly by Rhys. Rhys wasn't as young as he used to be, or as fit as he probably should be. It was difficult sometimes, being the manager of a haulage company, to be able to fit in time to get to a gym to work on his fitness, but in the past it had never been an issue. His levels of fitness had only come to light since being on the run with Gwen. Clearly this was something he would need to think about changing when they got out of this and returned to normal, especially if he was going to be a dad.

Upon reaching their destination, both men stared out over the London landscape in front of them. As if conjured by magic, a column of fire descended from the cloud covered sky, punching a piercing blue hole through the clouds. From what they could see of pedestrians in the distance, it appeared that not one person was able to look away from the sight.

"Looks like it's all kicking off," muttered Ianto, unable to tear his eyes from such a spectacular and imposing sight. As quickly as the fire column arrived, it disappeared with no sign of any after effects.

"We could really use Jack about now huh?" asked Rhys concerned and a little scared that his wife could be somewhere near that place in the distance.

"I'll try ringing him again, but if he doesn't answer, we'll just have to sit tight and wait for him to come back. He has a lot of secrets, but that light show wasn't one of them. I'm sure of it."

"Let's head back down then. I'll get some more beans and coffee on the go. Maybe even something a little more sustaining."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TWTW

As they returned to the lower levels of their warehouse, slowly than they had gone up, they found Gwen had returned with Clem McDonald in tow. Gwen went through introductions, and both men were welcoming and pleasant to their new comrade.

"There you go," she said as she passed Clem another mug of hot milky coffee.

"Save some for the rest of us, mate!" Rhys exclaimed making a flippant comment about food, as Clem quickly scrambled for as much food as he could get his hands on. The food in the cells at the police station was okay, but very rarely hot.

"He's your husband?"

"Yes. Yes, my beloved." As Rhys passed Gwen, they shared a kiss. Gwen had made the coffee, so that she had something to do.

"Nice house, isn't it?" While Rhys kept Clem amused, Ianto tapped away on the controls of the computer keyboard, keeping his distance from Clem. He didn't have anything personally against the man, and was civil enough, but Clem had a tendency to look at him funny, and Ianto had sensed that Clem wasn't really interested in being any where him either.

"Well, we do our best! It's got shower facilities. Just stand under the skylight," both Clem and Rhys laughed.

"I've stayed in worse."

"And who's the queer again?"

"Oi!" Ianto glared in Clem's direction. His outburst causing everyone in the room to stare at him and pause in awkward silence, "It's not 1965 anymore."

"He's queer. I can smell it." This time Ianto just ignored him. He wondered what Clem would say when he 'smelt' Jack. This made Ianto smile to himself. If he was having a hard time with one 'queer', then what would he be like with his immortal, omnisexual husband. Ianto spent many minutes thinking up different scenarios that put Clem in some awful situations, but they kept him amused.

Conversation was sparse as Ianto refused to be drawn into altering his focus from work, instead of watching Clem lurk around. Gwen was getting a little jittery, waiting to see if their spy was going to help them see what was going on inside the Thames House building on the North bank of the river. Turned out that Lois was going to help them, heavens knew why.

"Took me a while to get used to those things."

"What? You've used the lenses?" asked Ianto, a little surprised that she would willingly take highly unique and classified tech out of the Hub.

"Yeah. That's why Gwen had them. "

"I just took them home for a bit of fun," she blushed a bit at the confession while Rhys grinned at her.

"Fun? "

"Yeah."

"Y'know. Fun."

"Yeah, well been there, done that. It is fun."

"Yeah." And because it was too embarrassing to be talking about it in front of Clem and her husband, neither Ianto nor Gwen made another comment.

The remaining Torchwood team learned a lot in the next hour. It seemed Gwen had managed to convince Lois to wear the lenses to give them a view of the inside of Thames House. Most of what they saw shocked even their hardy imaginations. A large glass tank had been built for whatever kind of alien this thing was, and thanks to Clem's knowledge they knew that this alien had visited their planet, specifically England, before. What shocked them was that a government employee, not even a member of the military was holding a peace talk of sorts with the alien. It seemed that he was trying to find out what the alien was doing here, and also trying to bargain against using the children for any kind of plot.

Ianto had a tough job translating Lois' short hand note taking, and keeping an ear out for the translator software voicing John Frobisher's prepared speech to the alien, but managed it.

Things started to turn ominous when Ianto read a shorthand sentence the alien had said,

"We have a request...We want a gift...We want...your children. We will take your children."

"What does that mean? What the hell for?" asked Rhys angrily.

Rhys' mood, and the words spoken by the 456 caused Clem to pace behind the others, getting more upset and agitated with each passing minute.

"They want to take them, like they did before. Like the man did," Clem sniffs, "He's coming back. He's coming back!"

"Not now Clem, just wait," said Gwen, her patience running a little thin with the old man.

"He's coming, he's coming. He's coming. He's coming," Clem kept repeating over and over again. Any attempt to quiet him down was futile, as he seemed to be locked in a memory.

Ianto had continued to ignore Clem, focusing on deciphering Lois' code.

"10%...We want 10%...We want 10% of the children of this world," Ianto recited.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TWTW

Unbeknownst to Ianto, Jack had finished whatever it was he had run off to do, and had walked out of the shadows in front of the rest of the team. Clem froze to the spot, shocked by Jack's presence. Gwen struggled to calm him down, not knowing what had caused this change in mood again. Jack remained in place, standing straight and impassive.

"He hasn't changed. He's the same. He's the same. He's the same. All those years...How can he be the same?" Clem yammered.

"What's he talking about, Jack?"

"Clement MacDonald. Just another name. It was easier, if you didn't know the names."

"You were there? In 1965."

"He was the man!"

"No, no, this is what he does, you see, he fights them. He fights aliens, isn't that right, Jack?"

"No."

"Then what were you doing there?"

"I gave them the kids. 1965, I gave them 12 children."

"What for?"

"As a gift."


	26. Children of Earth Day Four

**Author Note -** For anyone still reading this I apologise for the long pause. I can only thank you for sticking with this and hope that you're still enjoying the writing. I also apologise for this chapter. I haven't made any change to the original plot of COE, just added things in. Hope you can forgive me. Enjoy!

**TW – COE Day 4**

"As a gift," Jack's face went blank, losing all emotion

"As a gift? Jack, what do you mean? You're not making any sense!"

"1965, I gave them twelve children," Jack clarified, his whole expression remaining devoid of any emotion.

Gwen stared at Jack, wide eyed and horrified. Clem cowered away from Jack as much as he could, even though Jack had made no move forward.

"You just...handed them over and hoped for the best?" As always, Gwen wanted the tough answers immediately. Ianto said nothing, just watched Jack through his exchange with Gwen.

"Isn't it? Isn't it?" Clem churned out, almost like a form of Tourettes, "you're in every nightmare I've ever had."

Jack finally looked Clem in the eyes and apologised, seeing the damage he had done to this delicate old man.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I-" Clem surged forward, grabbing Gwen's gun from the waist band of her dark blue jeans. All Clem could see was the creator of his anguished life, standing there as if conjured up from his worst nightmares, never having aged a day. Clem centered the gun, aiming for the middle of Jack's chest and pulled the trigger. An instance after Clem had fired a look of horror swept his features at the harm he had done.

Seeing this scene play out, but unable to stop it, Ianto rushed forward not quick enough to protect Jack's head as it hit the floor. The rest of Jack's body collapsed in a heap, swirling dust from the floor around him as he landed. Knowing Clem's aim had been true, all Ianto could do was pull Jack's body into his own, and wait for this death to pass.

Meanwhile Gwen tried to calm Clem down who'd started pacing, bringing the handle of the gun to his own head, hitting the delicate skin over his right temple several times before dropping it down by his side. Having been in situations like this several times, Gwen did her best to get the gun off of the vulnerable man.

"Okay, so-" Gwen started.

Clem aimed the gun at her as soon as she started speaking.

"Stay away!"

"Give me the gun Clem. Come on."

"You're on his side."

"Give it to me."

"And he's on their side. You're all involved!" Clem waved the gun around the room to emphasise his point.

"Gwen, get away from him. He's dangerous," called Rhys from his position on the outskirts of a potentially dangerous situation.

"I'm not dangerous!"

"We know!" she glared at Rhys for butting in, for stirring up Clem's agitation to a higher level, "We know you're not. We know that."

"But it's a lie isn't it? Isn't it? We both know. I...killed a man. I _am_ dangerous."

"Can I take that?" Gwen cautiously stepped forward, hands out in a non threatening gesture to take the gun before Clem could claim another victim.

Clem stared at her hands, and then surrendered the gun to her. Gwen quickly passed it behind her, giving it to Rhys who handled with the tips of his fingers like it was going to explode. Once the gun was safely out of harm's way, Gwen hugged Clem. Clem could do nothing but stare at Jack's dead body over her shoulder.

"But it wasn't my fault," Clem started again, "there _is_ something up there. They want children. That man held my hand and took me to them."

It was at this point Jack gasped back into life, startling and scaring Clem all over again. Ianto had felt the first stirrings of life in Jack, as he always did, and grasped Jack's chest harder, as if the tightness of his embrace helped Jack through the 'back to life' process. He was ignoring everything that was going on behind him, his focus solely on the man in his arms.

Gwen again tried her best to calm Clem, trying to explain Jack's special nature.

"This is normal. This is what he does. Ianto knew it was going to be okay."

"No!" Suddenly afraid of Jack and what his gasp meant, Clem ran away from them to a different part of the warehouse.

"Clem! Clem, it's all right!" Gwen's voice could be heard echoing as she chased after him.

"Are you okay?" Ianto asked Jack quietly, as they both moved from the floor to sit on something other than cold concrete. They settled back on the dilapidated sofa. Jack still looked a little pale, but would recover fully soon enough. He nodded.

"I can't believe you didn't mention this before," said Ianto, voicing his concern and a little frustration for Jack's long life and the secrets he kept because of it.

Jack blushed slightly, ashamed, "They didn't speak through kids back then. I didn't recognise the signs at first."

"That's not what I meant. I don't understand how you could have willingly sacrificed children to an unknown entity! Children that had no family, no one to care for them, other than a small home in the middle of nowhere...wait... That made them perfect-,"

"They're coming back," Rhys interrupted, not minding at all that he'd stopped their discussion. He didn't think he could stomach listening to what Jack had done.

Gwen had an arm slung around Clem's shoulder, almost like she was trying to offer him comfort and shelter him from Jack, as she would a small child.

"The man who sent me and my friends to die can't die himself!" exclaimed Clem when he saw Jack sitting next to Ianto. The emotion in his voice indicated he was a little hysterical.

"It was protection right? You knew they'd be back," Gwen said in an accusing tone.

"I knew it was a possibility."

"But you still gave them the payoff."

"We had no choice."

"Why us?"

Regretfully, Jack couldn't meet Ianto the eyes, confirming what the question Ianto hadn't been able to fully voice, "You wouldn't be missed."

The atmosphere in the room shifted from awkward silence to uncomfortable animosity.

"I can see that."

"All this time, the one consolation I had was that...the deal seemed to work."

Gwen shook her head in disbelief, mouth flapping slightly.

"It worked for forty four years. That's not bad for breathing space."

"Why was I left behind? What's wrong with me?"

"We know that they only want pre-pubescent kids. Maybe it's got something to do with that? Maybe you were just on the cusp of puberty, not quite adult, not quite child...," she tried to speculate.

"Saved by your hormones," said Rhys, trying to lighten the mood, before it was broken by a noise coming from a nearby laptop. Ianto hurriedly got up from the sofa, towards the machine.

"Is that still recording Ianto? I need every second of this."

"Yeah."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TWTWTW

Turned out the 456, the name the alien had been given because of the frequency of sound wave it produced, had a bit of a temper, and some freaky sense that Clem and others were watching them.

When it wanted to announce its displeasure it spat goo at the glass encasing it in gas. But the 456 had a secret it wanted to share with the hidden human beings watching several miles away. It invited them to send someone into the gaseous tank to see them.

The Torchwood team and Clem watched through Lois' eyes as a cameraman prepared to enter the tank, wearing a bright red jumpsuit, complete with oxygenated glass helmet. They could see, via a screen placed in front of Lois what was going on inside the tank. Lois continued to write short hand everything that was being said around her.

Three heartbeats were detected inside the tank, and they soon saw the reason for it. The cameraman discovered a small child hooked up to the 456, like an IV bag to a hospitalised patient.

Clem could be heard chanting 'No!' in the background while sobbing at what he saw on the screen. Gwen was horrified by what she saw, pulling Clem closed into her body to help comfort herself. Ianto sniffled, trying to stop any tears for the young soul, he couldn't look anymore, so turned away, even though the image of the child's face stayed with him. Rhys just closed his eyes to block out the horrible image.

Jack's voice was almost wonder-like, "He's still just a child." Realising how it must have sounded to rest of the group, Jack segregated himself by getting up from the sofa and moving to a different part of the room. The screen they watched closed in on the child's face. Tuffs of fine hair on his head, covered from head to toe in grime, and staring blindly into the distance with eyes too big for his small head. Over the lower half of his face was a gasmask like object, and the zoomed camera display revealed a tube protruding from the place his mouth should have been. The image reminded Jack of another little boy, in similar clothing, wearing a different kind of mask.

"Do you think he knows? Is he conscious?" asked Rhys, but his question went unanswered as the picture started to blur.

"Wh-what's happening?" worried Clem.

"It's Lois. She's crying," Gwen muttered sadly.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TW

"We do not harm the children. They feel no pain. They live long beyond their years," Ianto read, in a trance like voice. Lois has wiped her eyes so the screen cleared again, then she continued writing a transcript of voices still in the room with her. Ianto's whole body had grown numb from the sight and sorrow he felt at seeing the little boy, still as he was from the time he'd been given, like a commodity to strangers...aliens.

Gwen gave a sarcastic reply to the screen.

"We still don't know," Jack said, "What does it do with them? What does it want them for?"

"Bit late to ask now," Rhys said scathingly, much more like Gwen than he would have liked. He'd learned from the best.

"We have answered your question. You have one day to select and deliver the ten percent.

And if they didn't deliver then the whole human race would be eliminated!

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack disappeared, ashamed. He had been standing in front of a long window for a while, thinking about how he could have done such a thing, and if Ianto would ever forgive him. He heard Ianto approach before he saw him. He didn't want to see the expressions on Ianto's face, so kept his head turned away staring blindly at the filthy windows.

"This must have been eating away at you," Ianto said quietly.

This was the last thing Jack wanted to hear. Ianto's sympathy. Tears filled his eyes and he filled with more self loathing than he ever thought possible.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped."

Jack, choking on his tears just shook his head in denial.

"Jack," Ianto touched his hand to Jack's shoulder, trying his hardest to get some verbal response from him. Since removing himself from the group, Jack had grown very quiet and distant.

I tell you everything."

"What should I have done?"

"Stood up to them?"

Jack shook his head again, shaking some of the salt water in his eyes down his cheeks, still unseen by Ianto.

Ianto pulled his hand from Jack's shoulder abruptly. This person in front of him, this self pitying individual wasn't the man he'd married. He didn't even know this man in front of him.

"The Jack I knew would've stood up to them. I've only just scraped the surface haven't I? Is there something else like this you're hiding? Some other unspeakable event that you had a hand in?"

"This is what I am Ianto. There's no getting away from that. You knew I was a con man. That's all there is."

"No. You pretend that's all there is."

"I have lived a long time – I have done a lot of things."

Ianto rolled his eyes and gave a huge sigh, causing Jack to turn and move away.

"I've got to go. I won't be long."

"You're doing it again. Speak to me Jack. Where are you going? We promised no more secrets. All the time we spent together, alone talking on beaches and inside hotel rooms. Doesn't that mean anything anymore?"

Jack whirled around angrily at Ianto's shouting rant.

"To call Frobisher. I can't call him from here, because they'd be able to trace it. Is that alright with you?"

"You're the boss. Sir," Ianto responded shirtily.

"And just so you know, the only other thing I'm keeping from you is that Alice and Steven were taken hostage yesterday by Frobisher."

As always Jack aimed high and hit his target every time. His declaration stunned Ianto, giving Jack the opportunity to easily turn and exit without being followed, leaving Ianto alone by the window. He watched him walk towards his car, pull on his coat and drive away.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The stolen mobile phone he held to his ear trilled with an incessant ringing tone as it connected him to the one person who could hold all the answers. Jack blocked out everything in his mind – Ianto, Clem, Gwen and Rhys, their reactions and the little masked child in the tank – focusing on getting what he needed from a man he hadn't had contact with in over 40 years.

"Hello?" asked a voice, a little out of breath from having run to his desk in a hurry.

"Have you thought about what I said earlier?" Jack's voice had a hard edge to it.

"Bit busy to be honest."

"Let me put this right. If we hadn't given in to alien demands then we wouldn't be in this situation, and it isn't just me that did this. You may have killed the others, but you're still alive to speak about it. Release my family, they have nothing to do with this, and we can work together."

"Give yourself up and they won't be harmed."

"I wish I could believe that."

"You can."

"You've spoken to the 456, haven't you? They want more children." Jack structured the words more like fact than question, because he'd seen Frobisher do it, without trying to give away the fact that they had eyes inside the building.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well it doesn't take a genius; especially with the light show they pulled for the whole of London earlier. There is no way that you'd let them come to this planet without at least questioning them about why they've returned. With them going public this time, I think they want a lot more than just 12 children. Thousands…millions even. If I have to stop you, then I'll tell the world what's really going on. There's too much at stake not to."

Jack didn't give Frobisher any time to form a response, as he disconnected the call. He only hoped that he'd frightened him enough to let him help and save his family.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TW

While Jack had disappeared to another location to protect them, Gwen sat at the laptop again watching as Lois proceeded by Bridget Spears into a room within Thames House. Clem was sat beside her. She seemed to be his anchor amidst alien threats worldwide.

"Looks like a cabinet office briefing room. Looking at the plans for the building it's room A, Cobra. That's where they hold all the emergency planning meetings isn't it?

"Gold Command meeting's about to get underway."

Not long into watching the proceedings through the eyes of their young admin temp, Jack returned to the warehouse. He said very little, but was just about able to meet everyone's eyes, as he hadn't before.

"They'll sell us out, just like they did the last time," Clem said several times while they listened to the computer generated voice translate the words being voiced on the screen.

"Jack?" Ianto said in a quiet voice so as not to disturb anyone else.

"Hmm?"

"I'm so sorry about Alice and Steven. You said they were fine, I didn't think they would go after them to get to you. We'll get them out."

"I know we will."

There really wasn't a lot that could be said after that as Jack pulled Ianto into a one armed hug. They all listened to the Prime Minister and various other important individuals argue and debate what kind of offer they should make to the 456. Did they really think that any offer would be good enough? Or were they just trying to put a plaster over what would become a gaping wound in the future, when the 456 knew how much of a pushover the Earth could be? What would be a realistic number of children to give aliens that wanted to take advantage of them because they didn't have space faring technology?

The debating ran to calling the children units, to make the people in the room more comfortable with the decision they were trying to hash out. Could they use failed asylum seeker orphans? It's not as if they would be missed. Would the whole world be involved or would it just be Great Britain?

They made their decision, each member not trying to think too much into the fate of those children. Frobisher then disappeared from the room, only to reappear later on a monitor inside the cabinet room.

"I'm sorry, but we've discussed your demands. We've arrived at a solution that might satisfy both parties. I've been authorised to offer you one child for every million people on planet earth. That's about 6700 in total. 62 from the UK alone."

"That is not acceptable."

"6700. 6. 7. 0. 0. That's our final offer. It's more than generous. I'll give you some time to think about it."

"3. 2. 5. 0. 0. 0," was the number the 456 fired back, first in its own voice, then through all the children in the world, and Clem.

Everyone was confused by the number being repeated over and over again, until they hooked up to the world news broadcasting channels.

"Children in different countries are saying different numbers. In France the number is 448000. The children of America are saying 2340000. What is the meaning of 32500?"

The cabinet room came up with the answer.

"It's confirmed. 325000 is ten percent of the children – uh units in this country. Every country is saying a different number, which in each case amounts to ten percent."

"I think it's fair to say that our final offer has been rejected…Okay, thanks everyone. Let's take a break."

Everyone reconvened a short time later.

"With regrets ladies and gentlemen, I have to tell you that we're now facing the worst case scenario. And right now we don't have time for a discussion on ethics. I'm afraid hand wringing will have to wait. All we can do at the moment is address a number of vital and practical questions."

"Namely, how do we select the ten percent? Who would go? How would we transport them? And how could we sell it to the voters?"

They discussed having a random draw, creating a fair and reasonable system, but the people in the room were thinking more of their own children than being unbiased. Who would willingly risk their own children? Thoughts moved onto options like only taking the second born child in any one family, which was deemed to take too much time and organisation. Then debating shifted to emotional decisions like only agreeing to a decision if all the people in the room's kids were not affected by any decisions made. That they would be exempt from being sent to the 456. Ultimately the Prime Minister had the casting vote.

"Whatever happens, the children and grandchildren of everyone around this table will be exempt."

One person, the only woman sat at the table in the cabinet room, miles away, wasn't happy with the leader of the UK's decision.

"No, the first responsibility is to protect the best interests of this country right? Then let's say it. In a national emergency, a country must plan for the future, and must discriminate between those who are vital to continued stability and those who are not. And now that we've established that our kids are exempt, the whole principle of random selection is dead in the water anyway. Now look, on the one hand, you've got the schools, and I don't just mean those producing graduates. I mean the pupils that will go on to staff our hospitals, our offices, our factories, the workforce of the future. We need them. Accepted yes? So, set against that, you've got the failing schools, full of the less able, the less socially useful. Those destined to spend a lifetime on benefits, occupying places in the dole queue, and frankly, the prisons. Now look, should we treat them equally? God knows we've tried and we've failed, and now the time comes to choose. And if we can't identify the lowest achieving ten percent of the country's children, then what are the school league tables for?

The room on screen, and the room watching the room on screen fell silent, waiting for what would happen next.

"Anyone want to speak against that?" asked the Prime Minister, as people started to look uncomfortable or in some cases disgusted. Nobody jumped in to contradict this woman.

"Then there we have it. John, you have your criteria. We've selected the ten percent."

There was uproar from Gwen.

"We've got enough evidence recorded here to destroy every person in that room!"

"And we can use it to force our way into Thames House; finally get face to face with this thing."

"And get your family released," said Ianto.

Jack took a deep breath, thinking about the implication of what had just happened, and what may well happen once they entered Thames House; then he outlined a plan.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

"Right, everyone know what they're doing?"

"Jack? What if I can't get Lois to agree to this?"

"She hasn't let us down yet. Rhys, you ready?"

Knowing Jack's mind, Ianto rushed forwards making sure his hand gun, the one he'd recently put into the back of his trouser waistband, was loaded. Jack mirrored him. Jack looked into Ianto's face as he spoke.

"Let's go stand up to them."

"Yes, sir."

Jumping into the sports car outside, Jack behind the wheel, they sped through the back streets of London, their ultimate aim Thames House. Congestion slowed them, eventually stopping them. Jack, being Jack, jumped from the vehicle, Ianto not far behind, intending to complete the last leg of their journey on foot.

"Do you think I should call Rhiannon? Warn her about keeping the kids away from public areas?" Ianto raised his voice given the fact they were running through the middle of London, conscious of the fact that special government agents were still trying to track them down.

"Yes. Tell her to keep the kids close. No school, no parks. Get her to keep an eye on them at all times until this is over. It doesn't matter if we can be tracked now, not with what's going on in that building. Ring her."

Ianto pressed the speed dial button on his mobile phone. Jack listened to Ianto's end of his conversation as they slowed to a walk, so Ianto could talk properly.

"It's me…It's only just beginning...Listen! That column of fire over London, did you see it on telly?...Just stop a minute and listen…They're from another planet. They want children, that's why they're here. They want kids, millions of them…I'm not sure, but for the next few days, don't let anyone take David or Mica away from you, for whatever reason. This goes for you people listening in on the wire too. Forget the Official Secrets Act. If you've got children or grandchildren you need to hear this, and you need to tell every parent you know. Look I've got to go. I love you. Don't let the kids out of your sight. I love them, too. I'm even warming to Johnny a bit."

Becoming a little overwhelmed by his speech, Ianto cut off the call. He could only wonder at what Rhiannon was thinking now, but at least she knew the truth. That's all that mattered.

Jack stopped, pulling Ianto into the doorway of a vacant building. He crushed him to his chest, taking a personal moment before all hell broke loose around them.

"She knows now, and she won't let anything happen to them."

"I know…what about Steven?"

"We'll get him back. I love you."

Pulling his tear stained face from Jack's wool jacket covered chest, Ianto pressed his lips to Jack's lips then pulled himself out of their embrace.

"I love you. We should carry on moving. Our execution team may not be far behind."

"True. Give Gwen a call when we get outside Thames House, just so she knows we've arrived."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TWTW

While they snuck into the building guns at the ready, Lois Habbiba was giving the performance of her life. She was about to drop a bomb into the lap of the Prime Minister and all the staff in the cabinet room. She told them all about Torchwood recording all their meetings and what they would do if the government went forward with their half brained scheme, and what would happen if anyone tried to get in Captain Harkness' way.

Jack and Ianto were in an elevator heading towards the thirteenth floor, mindful of what was going on in the next building. A man rushed towards him with guards behind him. Jack stepped straight in.

"I want to feed the live TV pictures directly to this number, can you do that?"

"I can do that."

They were escorted to the purpose built room housing the 456. Both were overwhelmed by how big the tank was that harbored the creature wanting to take their children. Jack wasted no time addressing the alien.

"I'm Captain Jack Harkness. I've dealt with you lot before. I'm here to explain why this time, you're not getting what you want."

"You yielded in the past," pointed out the alien.

"And don't I know it? I was there. In 1965, I was part of that trade, and that's why I'm never going to let it happen again."

"Explain."

"There's a saying here on Earth, a very old, very wise friend of mine taught me it; an injury to one is an injury to all. And when people act according to that philosophy, the human race is the finest species in the Universe."

"Never mind the philosophy. What he's saying is you're not getting one solitary, single child. The deal is off," added Ianto.

"Uh…I like the philosophy."

"I gathered, but it was a little long winded. Needs some work."

"You yielded in the past. You will do so again."

"In the past, the numbers were so small they could be kept secret, but this time that is not going to happen because we've recorded everything. All the negotiations. Everything the politicians said. Everything that happened in this room. And those tapes will be released to the public unless you leave this planet for good."

"You yielded in the past. You will do so again."

"When people find out the truth, you will have over six billion angry human beings taking up arms to fight you. That might be a fight you think you can win, but at the end of it, the human race in defense of its children will fight to death. And if I have to lead them in to battle, I will."

"You've got enough information on this planet. Check your records. His name is Captain Jack Harkness. Go back a hundred and fifty years and see what you're facing."

"This is fascinating isn't it? The human infant mortality rate is 29,158 deaths per day. Every three seconds, a child dies. The human response is to accept and adapt."

"We're adapting right now, and we're making this a war."

"Then the fight begins."

"We're waiting for your reply."

"Action has been taken."

Alarms in the building started to blare. Thames House was sounding lockdown. How the alien managed to get control of the electronic doors throughout the building, they would never know.

"What have you done?"

"You wanted a demonstration of war. A virus has been released. It will kill everyone in this building."

"Shit!" Jack ran to alert the guards standing watch at the door, his thoughts on the innocent people in the building being subjected to an airborne virus, "The air's poison. Call someone. Shut down the air conditioning, block every air vent. Get gas masks, hazard suits, oxygen cylinders."

Without panicking Ianto confronted the alien, "If there's a virus, then there must be an antivirus. Release it now, or I'll blow a hole in that tank and we'll all die together."

It wasn't until he heard Ianto calmly threaten the alien in the tank that Jack started to panic. He never should have brought Ianto in with him. He had exposed his own husband to a life threatening situation and they were running out of options.

"You made your point," he shouted, "now stop this and we can talk."

"You are dying, even now."

Jack and Ianto fired their weapons at the tank. Deafening bullets ricocheted off the glass without leaving scratches or holes. Seeing it was futile, both men lowered their guns as the 456 released a piercing screech.

"What's that noise? What's it doing?"

With nothing else to do but wait, Jack turned to Ianto putting his hands on his shoulders. Jack's eyes started filling with tears.

"We've got to get you out of here. I can survive anything, but you can't!"

"Too late. I've breathed the air," Ianto said sadly resigned to this sudden change in events. Nothing could change this, and let's face it, he'd always known he would die young, working for Torchwood. He'd just assumed he'd have longer to spend with Jack.

"There's got to be something – there's got to be an antidote."

Ianto's vision started to blur around the edges, and his whole body felt like all the strength had been taken from it.

"You said you would fight," taunted the 456.

"Then I take it back, alright? I take it all back – but not him! Please, not him!"

Suddenly Ianto's legs gave way. Jack managed to catch him before his knee caps cracked the marble floor, his body catapulting towards the floor. Weeping, Jack was struggling to keep Ianto from lying on the floor.

"No! No no no no no no no – no! No. Ianto. No, no, no."

Jack cradled Ianto into his chest as tears tracked down his cheeks, his breathing ragged. He could hear the panic and pandemonium floors below him, as people fought to save their lives, giving no thought to their fellow man.

Jack started to rock rhythmically, "It's all my fault."

"No it's not."

Ianto's voice was weak, but still audible.

"Don't speak, save your breath."

"We always knew this was going to happen. I love you. That alien can't destroy that."

Jack shook his head.

"Don't. I was going to get the doctor to research life prolonging alternatives. I can't do this without you. For 4 years you've been there, and now you're my husband. What am I supposed to do?" disbelief causing Jack to blurt things out.

Ianto's eyes closed. Jack shook him desperately, his voice breaking as his whole body was assuaged with pain from the toxic air. He pleaded with Ianto to stay with him. The noise brought Ianto back to some form of consciousness, and Ianto felt the need to comfort him, just as Jack had done for him after Tosh and Owen's deaths.

"Hey, it was good yeah?"

"Yeah," Jack sniffled, realising Ianto needed his support more than ever.

"Don't forget me."

Jack put on a brave face and winked at Ianto with a smile, though his eyes shimmered with tears he desperately tried not to shed.

"Never could."

"A thousand years time…you won't remember me."

"Yes I will. I promise I will."

"Ianto. Ianto? Don't leave me please. Please don't-"

"You will die. And tomorrow, your people will deliver the children," the 456 mocked as Jack, tears running down his face, Ianto's body clutched to his own, placed one final gentle kiss onto his husbands slips before the alien airborne virus took one of Jack's lives.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW 

They say the last thing to go when somebody dies is a person's hearing. Jack knew this to be true, but the first thing to come back was the same thing. The final sign that he was back with the living was a large gasp of breath through fiery pain, but his first real sense was hearing the sounds surrounding him. He could hear the footsteps of booted soldiers walking around the large room he was being held in.

"Thirteen, Fourteen."

His brain was confused by the words, they didn't really make much sense until he heard a different pain of boots; high heeled ladies boots, so familiar to him. The footsteps drew ever closer until they stopped somewhere towards his feet.

His body clicked into gear with a small gasp for breath, mostly because he'd died of a virus and not of something that needed to be healed. His eyes opened to see a blurred Gwen and the sound of plastic sheeting being moved.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW TW

Gwen hadn't wanted to travel to the school gymnasium that was doubling as a mortuary, but she hadn't had much option. Someone had to identify the two bodies on the thirteenth floor of the building housing the 456. Jack, Ianto and Gwen had had to do this once before, when their friend and colleague had died a year before. That hadn't been a pleasant experience. This on the other hand was well outside the league of unpleasant.

Lines and lines of colourful rectangular plastic sheeting marred the shiny gymnasium floor. Each sheet covered a body that had been recovered from Thames House. Before their death each civilian had jumped over each other fighting for survival, none succeeding. From the building over 100 people had been removed and confirmed dead, suffering from an unknown virus released and carried by the nitrogen in the atmosphere. Each individual had suffered a feeling of weakness, struggling to breathe before they finally passed out and their heart stopped beating. It was a sneaky way to kill someone, but very effective.

As Gwen entered the hall she spoke to a young soldier who was overseeing the identification of bodies. As a rule Torchwood employees only carried basic Torchwood specific ID, so the army had known to contact. She was directed to two bodies labeled 13 and 14. She took a deep breath to stabilise her emotions before she made the short walk to the correct numbers. Kneeling down between the bodies she pulled the sheeting off the first body, revealing Jack. His eyes were open and he was breathing. She smiled tenderly down at him, taking time to stroke her fingers through his hair before she turned to face the other body.

Anyone watching her would have seen her expression change from happy tidings at seeing Jack okay to be replaced with a dark look. She took a moment to steady herself again, then pulled back the sheet. Unlike Jack, Ianto was pale and it was clear that he wouldn't be coming back to them.

Jack took a moment to sit up, then looked around to find Gwen crying over Ianto's body. Jack felt a heavy, invisible weight slam down on his chest. Ianto was dead. There was nothing he could do to bring back a man that had not even reached his thirtieth birthday. He couldn't look at Ianto's facing, seemingly asleep but his skin was too white to be alive.

Jack shifted his body so he knelt behind Gwen, putting his arms around her shoulders as they both continued to look down at Ianto and weep over their loss.

"There's nothing we can do Jack. There's nothing we can do." Gwen stuttered through her tears.


End file.
